Ice Meet Wind
by DarrkKatt
Summary: This is the history of the shinobi known as Jin the Wind Master and Touya the Ice Master. Their lives before, during and after the Dark Tournament and all that is in between.
1. Touya

Hey, people. Erm... I haven't read any stories yet on how Touya and Jin met, or their pasts, so I'm giving this a shot. Basically, this ain't yaoi (I don't mind it, I just can't write it) and it's a combo of how they met and their pasts before the Shinobi. Just, read the first chapter and tell me what yins think!!!  
  
Disclaimer: Yeah, right. Like I own anything important...WAIT!! I don't own anything!!  
  
First Meetings  
  
Chapter 1: Touya  
  
A small boy and girl, about 5 or 6 years of age, were running through the woods of their backyard. It was late in the afternoon, and their mother would be calling them in for dinner soon. Sure enough, the familiar yell rang across the clearing and into the woods.  
  
"Runa! Touya! Get back here you two! It's time to eat, so get the lead out!"  
  
The children reluctantly stopped their carefree run. Turning towards the cabin in the clearing, they slowly walked up to the woman standing just outside the door.   
  
Maro-an was a rather beautiful young woman with long brown hair and amber eyes. She was also tall and slender, and an Ice Maiden. Maro-an looked severely at her two kids, fore she had been calling them every five minutes.  
  
"You two were supposed to be here, ready to eat, at five o' clock," she said in a strict way, trying not to laugh at the look on her kids faces. 'They always do that,' she thought. 'Every time they pull, or try to pull, the puppy eyes.'  
  
Sure enough, both were trying to pull the puppy eyes. They never got it down, but they were really close. Close enough, in fact, to convince Maro-an to let them play longer.  
  
"Alright, stop doing that." She said the two, "You can play longer, just come right when I call you, otherwise I won't let you play anymore. Got it?"  
  
"Yes, mother," the twins chorused. As soon as their mother had closed the door of the house behind her, Touya said to his twin, "I'll get you yet, Runa!"  
  
Runa chuckled. "Really? Well, you'll have to catch me first." and at that she ran back into the woods. Giving her a five second head start, Touya followed her. In no time at all, the woods were filled with the sounds of laughter.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Maro-an was looking out the window as the twins ran back through the woods. Sighing, she turned around to finish her cooking. She didn't get far, though, because she was swept up into her husbands arms.  
  
"Torio!" she said through laughter, "Come on! Put me down! I have to finish cooking!"  
  
"Why would I want to do that?" Torio said simply, "Which reminds me, why'd you let them keep playing? You know as well as I do, it isn't safe for them to stay outside too long…"  
  
"Honestly!!" Maro-an struggled briefly and finally fell out of Torio's arms. "They're just children! We need to let them play every so often, otherwise they get cabin fever! Best for them to let that extra energy out, don't you agree?"  
  
"Yes," He sat down slowly in the nearest chair. "Hey, Maro-an. I have some news, but you might not want to hear it."  
  
Maro-an's eyes widened as her husband said this. "It's not, them, is it? Tell me they aren't here!"  
  
Torio sighed heavily. He knew that this was the news his wife had been dreading for quite some time. He didn't want her to worry, but, their kids…their kids were quite possibly in danger.  
  
"Yes," that one syllable was enough. Maro-an dropped the dished she had just gotten out of the cupboard. Not only that, but that word was also enough to send her into a state of panic.  
  
"Hurry! Grab some things and let's go!!" she said in a very panicked voice.  
  
"Aren't you over exaggerating? Maro-an!" Torio caught her by the shoulders as she tried to run past. "Stop for a second! They can't be that dangerous! And anyway, they don't know where we are!!"  
  
"You don't know them like I do! You weren't one of them at one time! Do you know what they would do to me and the kids? Do you?"  
  
"Maro-an…"  
  
"They'll kill me, throw Touya off a cliff, and then try and brainwash Runa into one of them! We need to get out of here before they come, understand?!"  
  
Before he could answer her, they both heard the screams.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Touya had been chasing his sister for some time, and she somehow kept on out running him. To be frank, he was sick of her getting the better of him. But this time, he had a plan.  
  
When ever Runa got far enough away from him that he could barely see her, Touya darted behind a tree. There, he would wait for her to come back and look for him. Sure enough, she came back in less than 5 minutes.  
  
"Touya? Touya!" she was calling him. Come on, just a little bit closer…he thought. "Mom told us not to get separated! Touya!"  
  
Perfect.   
  
He jumped out from behind the tree and tackled his sister at full force. She didn't even see it coming.  
  
"HA!" he said triumphantly, looking down on his sister whom he was laying on top of, "I finally beat you! I win this round!"  
  
"Touya," Runa whined, "Get off me! Your no feather, you know!!"  
  
"Alright, but your no fun, you know that?" At that, Runa reached up and pulled on her twins green, spiked bangs.  
  
"OW!" He rolled off her immediately. "Why'd you go and do that?"  
  
Giggling, Runa got up off the ground and dusted herself off. She was just going to help her brother up, when they both heard a twig snap. Both heads quickly turned in the general direction of the sound.  
  
"What?…"  
  
"Who's there?" cried Touya.  
  
He did not get a response. At least, not a response of the voice. A series of knives and arrows flew at the shocked twins; several of tem cut their heads and arms deeply. Doing what anyone in their right mind would do, the twins screamed and ran in the opposite direction.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Maro-an and Torio flew out of the house after they heard the screams. However, what they saw was not what they wanted to see.  
  
Touya and Runa were running to them at full speed, as though the devil was chasing them. They had blood and dirt all over themselves, and looked as though they were both about to faint.  
  
"Touya, Runa!" Maro-an screamed. "Run quickly and get in the house!"  
  
"Maro-an, look!" Torio was pointing in the direction from which the kids were running. Maro-an gasped at the sight that was before her eyes.  
  
About fifty Ice Maidens were slowly coming out of the woods. Each one was armed with some type of throwing weapon. That was what they used to get at Touya and Runa. They're scared of them, otherwise they would have used knives. thought Maro-an.  
  
"Maro-an," said one of the Ice Maidens. It was hard to tell which one, because all were still in the shadows of the forest. "It has taken us 6 years to find you. Now that we have, you will finally pay the price that you owe."  
  
Maro-an, Torio, and the kids all felt stings on their arms and chests. Looking down, each one of them had a small dart stuck in their skin.  
  
"Knock out darts," gasped Torio before he fainted. He was soon followed by Touya and Runa; they were too exhausted to fight the drug. Maro-an stayed awake the longest, at least, long enough to utter a curse upon the Ice Maidens.  
  
"May you bitches rot in hell. My family, and others, will be avenged."  
  
And then she fell into the darkness that was surrounding her.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Blearily, Maro-an opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was the dank gray color of a ceiling. A ceiling somewhere. Ugh. I can't think straight. How'd I get here? Oh my God…The kids!! Snapping straight into a sitting position, she looked around quickly.  
  
Maro-an spotted her family against the wall with the window. They were all sleeping; the kids using each other for pillows, and Torio wrapping his arms protectively around them. Apparently, the gasp she let out when she sat up did not go unnoticed. Touya had his eyes open and was looking right at her.  
  
"Momma?" He carefully untangled himself from his sister and father, then made his way to Maro-an. "Do you feel okay?"  
  
"I'm fine Touya. Nothing time won't heal."  
  
"Momma, when those women brought us here, they said there was going to be a ceremony. What were they talking about?" Touya had a look on his face that Maro-an couldn't ignore. Touya was truly scared, and it took a lot to scare him.  
  
"Do you want me to tell you everything?" she asked him uncertainly. Touya just looked at her with the same scared face. Then, very slowly, he nodded. "Alright then. I'll explain this the best I can.  
  
"Before you were born, I was one of those women that brought us here. They, and I, are called Ice Maidens. We lived on a secluded floating island of ice high in the sky. (I suspect, that's where we are now.) Ice Maidens do not require men to reproduce; if no man is present, the Ice Maiden gives birth to a single girl. It is always a girl, no matter what. However, if a man was present during the conception, then two children, twins, will be born. A boy and a girl; the girl being an Ice Maiden, and the boy being what ever the male was." Maro-an stopped and took a breath. She knew the thing she was about to say could easily hurt Touya. But she had to say it, no matter how much she detested it. "The boy is called a Forbidden Child. Touya, that's you."  
  
He was quiet for a minute, obviously thinking about what she just said. Finally, he spoke; "Why am I forbidden? Aren't there others like me?"  
  
She was scared he would ask that. Now, Maro-an had no choice but to tell Touya exactly what would happen to him. "Touya, dear, there were others like you, but there are none now. Save for you, and those Ice Maidens plan to correct that. The ceremony has to do with getting rid of the tainted blood. To get rid of a Forbidden Child in the proper way, the whole of the Ice Maidens must throw him over the side of the floating island. None have survived that I know of."  
  
Right after she said that, Maro-an instantly regretted her words. Touya flung himself into her arms and was crying hysterically.  
  
"I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die!" he repeated over and over. What was shocking, perhaps, was the fact that Touya was crying tears of a brilliant green. Only Ice Maidens are supposed to do that. Maro-an thought, shocked. Recovering quickly, she wrapped her arms around Touya, giving him as much comfort as she could.   
  
Think, Maro-an! Think, think, think, THINK! There must be something you can do to save him. Maro-an hugged Touya tighter to her when she thought about how hopeless his situation was. Come on! Don't think like that! There must be something. Anything. Even a spell…  
  
"That's it." she whispered aloud. Touya looked up at her in confusion. "I don't believe you have to die, Touya."  
  
She quickly released her son and got to work on the spell that could save him.  
  
In order for the magic to work, a tear gem of the mother was needed, along with the blood of both mother and child. Maro-an quickly worked up a silver/blue tear gem and handed it to Touya. She then ran her hand along the rough edges of the wall until she felt that it was sliced up enough.  
  
"Now, Touya. Listen closely and trust me. Run your hand over the wall until it bleeds, like mine." Touya did as he was told. "Now put the gem in the bloody hand, and I will put my hand over yours."  
  
They both sat like that, one hand over the other, for a few minutes. All the while, Maro-an was chanting an incantation. Finally, when she was finished, they removed their hands. Instead of having a blood covered gem, they now had a blue and red swirled pendent.  
  
"Now Touya," Maro-an said as she ripped some of her clothing into strips. The strips she then wove together to make a solid string for the pendent to hang off of. "You must always wear this. It will save you from the fall and any other type of injury the Ice Maidens throw at you. Always wear it, understand?"  
  
Touya nodded his head silently and put on the pendent. "Should I hide it under my clothes?" he asked her.  
  
"That would be best. Don't let them see it, they'll take it off you."  
  
"Yes," he pulled the neck of his shirt out a bit and slid the pendent under it. "Thank you, Momma."  
  
"No problem, sweetie. Stay alive, all right?"  
  
"I will. I promise." He hugged his mother. They had finished this whole ordeal before Torio and Runa had awakened. After a few more minutes, the two of them finally woke up. However, they didn't have long to talk, because an Ice Maiden had come to the door of their cell.  
  
"Come! It is time for the ceremony to begin."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The family was led out of their cells into a crowded village. The square was filled with Ice Maidens of varying ages, and they were in a circle around a large wagon.  
  
"Get in the wagon. All of you." said the Ice Maiden that had taken them out of their cell.  
  
Obeying, they all climbed in. When the back was shut, the wagon began to move. The ride was bumpy and every hole in the path caused Touya and Runa to fly out of their seats. Lucky for them, the ride was only ten minutes long. They reached their destination in what seemed like no time at all. The Ice Maiden that had driven the cart opened the back, and they were forced to climb out. The sight that awaited them was not comforting.   
  
There were about twenty Ice Maidens dressed in ceremonial robes. Each one was holding some type of sharp object; swords for some, knives, spears. A few of them came up to the family and pulled them closer to the twenty. As Touya got closer to the Ice Maidens, he saw they were right by the edge of a very high cliff.  
  
"Stay right there. The ceremony will begin now." said the Ice Maiden that appeared to be the Head of Ceremonies. She unsheathed her long sword and pointed it at Torio. "Torio of the Makai Ice Fields, minor Ice Master. You are now to be executed by us, the Ice Maidens if the Ice World, for your part in the corruption of one of our sisters. Sisters, may the execution commence."  
  
Torio was quickly pulled into the circle of Ice Maidens. They began to lash out at him with their weapons, but he began to fight back. Launching a barrage of ice missiles, he caught a few of them off guard. His downfall was the fact he was not a complete Master of the ice. Touya saw this, and knew his father was going to die.   
  
The moment Torio turned around from the Ice Maidens he had knocked down, one of them sprang up and impaled him in the stomach. Bolded by that act, the others began to stab him as well. Within a few moments, Torio was dead.  
  
"Daddy!" screamed Runa. She had seen the entire thing, as had Maro-an and Touya. Maro-an was crying silently, while Touya stood in shock by her side. My dad just died. My dad was just MURDERED. he thought over and over.  
  
"Next," said the Head. "Maro-an of the Ice Maidens. You are accused with willing corruption of you way of life and then fleeing when it was time for punishment. Your sentence is, and has always been, death."  
  
"Momma!" shouted Touya as the Ice Maidens dragged her to the circle.  
  
"Touya, remember what I told you!" That was the last thing Touya ever heard his mother say. She did not fight as much as Torio, so the Ice Maidens stabbed her to death much faster. They left her bleeding on the ground next to Torio.  
  
"Now to the final orders of business." the Head stated, walking over to the children. When she was right in front of them, she spoke, "Runa, you are now one of us. Please come with me."  
  
"I hate you! Go away!" Runa screamed and lashed out at the Head. She was much stronger than she looked, thanks to the way her and her brother played in the woods. She caught the Head off guard, and punched her as many times as she could. "You bitch!" she screamed in her face while punching her. When the shock of the little girl swearing and punching her wore off, the Head threw her aside.  
  
"Kill her as well! Her mind is also corrupted!"  
  
Runa couldn't stand up against all the people surrounding her. With a scream, a sword was driven through her stomach.  
  
"Runa!" Touya ran over to his sister and caught her body before it hit the ground.  
  
"Kill…these…bitches…" Runa managed to say before she died in his arms. Crying, Touya looked up at the Ice Maidens.  
  
"I will come back and get you."  
  
Not speaking to him, the Ice Maidens picked him up and carried him over to the edge of the cliff.  
  
"It is quite a long fall, Forbidden One. I'm afraid you will die before you can fulfill that promise of yours. Toss him over!" Obediently, the Ice Maidens holding Touya threw him over the edge. With the wind rushing around him, Touya looked up at the edge of the floating island of ice.  
  
"I will fulfill the promise I made. Even if it takes a hundred years."  
  
He fell for a day before he reached the ground.  
  
Um, heh! This is just the first chapter! Sorry if it was long, I was actually planning to post one half and then the other later on. The full effect is achieved by posting the whole thing at once! Don't give up on the story just yet! Remember, the title? Jin pops up in the next chapter, and It's my version on how he is who he is. Sorry, it might take a while to write it, but give me some time! Review, and I will try to update as soon as possible. Er, Ijust edited this chapter... Imade a big mistake...Oh well, just review anyway!!!!! 


	2. Jin

Okay, in the last chapter Touya's past was reveled. In this one, Jin's is reveled. Warning: His past is a little weird (Timeline wise). I got the impression that he's centuries old, but this chapter takes place in the modern day. Sorry, but YYH gang is in the future here, in my tale, at least. Jin is about 15, and he's 2 years older than Touya. You do the math. Also, I can't write an Irish accent, but Jin always has had the accent, so imagine him speaking it. Got any questions, ask. May the chappie begin!  
  
Disclaimer: Why do I bother with these things? Me no own.  
  
Chapter 2: Jin  
  
School was in session in Tokyo, so the streets were cleared of all the usual school children. Well, most of the usual school children. A lone red head was walking slowly down the street, muttering to himself. He was obviously walking as slow as possible so he wouldn't get to school too soon.  
"Why'd we have to move here? I don't even like it here. Only reason I'm going to school is 'cause mom kicked me out of the house," said the red- head in a thick Irish accent. He finally stopped his slow pace in front of a gray building. "Ugh. Here I am. Still don't wanna be here." Still muttering to himself, he opened the door and walked in. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The class room was noisy with the freshmen students' chatter. They didn't even notice the new kid walk in and start talking with the teacher. They finally did stop when the teacher stood up and shouted for them to be quiet.  
"Now, class," said Mr. Himaku. "We have ourselves a new student today. This is Jin Hatsui," he gestured towards the red head standing by him. "Jin has lived his entire life in Ireland, but he and his parents moved to Tokyo because of work. I hope you will make him feel welcome, because this is most likely a very difficult transition."  
Jin stood up front for a minute after Mr. Himaku's speech before turning to the teacher and asking, "Where do I sit?"  
The class giggled at his accent, causing Jin to blush as red as his hair.  
"Now, now, don't make fun of him." Mr. Himaku said to the class. He said to Jin, "There is an open seat by Akira Iguin." He pointed to a bulky boy over by the windows. Jin nodded and went to his seat.  
"So, Lucky," said Akira, looking down on Jin, who was rather scrawny. "Ya got any gold hidden in that bag of yours?"  
"Huh?" Jin asked, not paying much attention until his bag was taken from him. "Hey! Give that back!" Jin jumped out of his chair and tried to get his bag back. He was shorter than Akira, so, needless to say, all Akira had to do was hold his bag up a little higher so Jin couldn't get it. Akira began to laugh at how pathetic Jin was looking, hopping up and down trying to get his bag. When Jin hit the ground for the fifth time, he crouched down. Concentrating, he gave one last jump. This time, he caught Akira by surprise, for his jump was abnormally high for someone of his stature. Jin seized this chance and grabbed his bag out of his torturer's hands. Leaping over Akira's head, Jin landed on the floor about 10 feet away from Akira. Turning, Jin saw the look on his teacher's and all of his classmates faces. It was one of pure shock, and.  
Is that a look of fear on their faces? Jin thought, suddenly scared. No! Not again! I don't want to scare people away from me! Giving a small, stupid grin at his classmates, Jin said rather hurriedly, "Lots of track practice got me good at jumping. Oh! Look at the time! I almost forgot, I have to go home early and help unpack!" with that, he ran out of the room. Jin continued to run until he got home, which was miles away. At some point, he began to cry. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Morgana was sitting in the living room of her new home. Sighing, she relaxed into her favorite chair. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea to move here. she thought sadly. No one would accept her son back in Ireland because of his abnormal speed and agility. All the kids were jealous of him, and some were even scared. It had made Jin increasing more depressed as time went on, so Morgana had convinced Utaku to move here. Now she was having her doubts.  
Utaku, Jin's father and Morgana's husband of 17 years, was a full fledged human. Hn. A human. Figures I'd fall for a full fledged human. she thought in an ironic tone. Morgana herself was not fully human. She was a half demon elf from the Demon Realm. She had been raised there, but left for her sanity and safety. When she arrived in the Human World, she met Utaku and eventually married him. Morgana knew that having children would be a bad idea, because they would be a quarter demon elf.  
Morgana suddenly sighed. Jin's powers were obvious from the start. They've only been getting stronger, and he has no idea. She was interrupted from her musings by the slamming of the front door.  
"Who's there?" she called. Morgana got out of her comfortable chair and went to the door. What she saw shocked her. Jin was curled up against the door, crying. His hair blowing about in a breeze she could not feel. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Jin had run out of the building and down the streets of downtown Tokyo. His house was outside the city, and he usually had to take the bus to get to and from home. Today, though, he passed up the bus and continued to run. Jin attracted some strange looks as he sped through the streets. His red hair and his abnormal speed was more than enough to draw curious glances. Ignoring them, he ran on, never stopping.  
It took Jin almost an hour and a half to get to his new home. When he spotted the cottage by the cliffs, he sped up even more. Jin raced through the woods that surrounded his home and leaped onto his drive way. He kept running until he reached his door. Jin slowed down just enough to fling the door open and then pull it shut behind him. Exhausted, and thoroughly depressed because of the incident at school, Jin collapsed against the door frame and cried. There was still wind in his hair, seeming to be trying to comfort him. Wind? Comfort me? I'm so losing it. He continued to cry even when his mother came up and held him close to her.  
"Shh, Jin," she said, her alto voice holding the same accent as her son's, "What happened?"  
"It happened again," Jin managed to say through sobs. "I don't know how, but I jumped over some kid's head. He had grabbed my bag, and I wanted it back. He kept holding it high above me, and I got fed up, so I just." his voice trailed off in a fresh wave of tears. Morgana held Jin closer to her.  
"It's all right, everything will be just fine." she whispered to Jin. "I'm sure once they see how fun you are to be around, they'll accept you."  
"I wish," he muttered into his mother's shirt. "Mom, why am I like this? I don't want to be different."  
The utter despair in his voice wrenched Morgana's heart. She had never told her son or husband about her ancestry, but she couldn't keep it from them forever. Especially at the cost of Jin's happiness. "Now Jin, I want you to listen to me." but before she could continue, they both heard Utaku's car in the driveway. "Let's move away from the door so our asses don't get hit by it." Finally getting a laugh out of Jin, they both moved away from the door and sat on the stairs.  
Utaku was an all Japanese man with black hair and dark brown eyes. Jin looked nothing like him, because Jin took after his mother. Utaku saw them on the stairs when he opened the door.  
"Hello, everyone!" he said cheerily. Then he checked his watch, "Hey, Jin. Aren't you still supposed to be in school?" he asked severely.  
"Jin had some problems in school, so he came home early," Morgana said simply, trying to keep Jin out of his father's wrath.  
"What?!" he practically screamed, "Did you get in a fight?" Jin shook his head no, and then Utaku understood. "I told you to keep your abilities in check! Maybe if you actually listened to me, you'd never have problems like this!"  
Utaku would have continued to rant, if Morgana hadn't cut in. "I have something to tell the both of you. Let's go to the kitchen table, and I'll tell you everything." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Well, what is it you wish to tell us about?" Utaku asked. That man is incredibly impatient, even by demon standards. thought Morgana. The whole family was now sitting at the kitchen table, Utaku looking bored and outraged, Jin looking slightly confused.  
"Ok, I wanted to tell you that I think I know why Jin has been having these problems. And I should have told you it a while ago," Jin's eyes widened at that statement.  
"W-what? You know?!" he asked excitedly. "Then maybe it can be-" his father cut him off.  
"Morgana, how dare you keep secrets from me? How many other things have you kept from the two of us?" When he said 'two of us', he really meant himself only, not Jin.  
"Honestly, be patient. I have kept many secrets from the both of you for your own good. Just, please let me say one before I start another, alright?" Jin nodded, and Utaku gave a snort and looked away. "Ok, as you both know, I met Utaku in Ireland. I said I had lived there my whole life, and he bought it because he was there on business. In truth, I had only just arrived. My original home was far away from Ireland, far away from this world, as a matter of fact. I am a half-elf from the Makai; the Demon World."  
"Wait," Jin said slowly. "You're a demon? Then what am I, half demon?"  
"That is correct," Morgana smiled at her son. "Your much smarted than a vast majority of them. Be proud."  
"WHAT?!" Utaku knocked over his chair in a fit of rage. "I married a demon?!"  
"Well, a demon in human form. I left the Makai to save my sanity. Things were just too chaotic there. Any way, back to my theory about Jin," she patiently waited for Utaku to sit down before she continued. "Jin, as he has already figured out, is half demon. One quarter elf, and one quarter, um, something else. I never knew my father, so I only know one half of my ancestry. Anyway, demon elves are known for their abilities to control the elements. I think Jin takes on more of the elf side, and that his specialty element is the wind.  
"Having the wind as an element gives Jin a huge advantage over others. One specialty would be that he can run faster, due to the fact the wind does not resist him. It actually pushes him along. Another ability the wind bestows is the ability to jump abnormally high. In fact, true masters can even fly."  
"Cool!!" Jin shouted, His face now shining with excitement at the possibilities. Morgana laughed at her son's antics. Nothing can keep his spirits down for too long. Utaku, however, was not amused.  
"You lied to me, to us!!" he shouted. The laughter of Morgana died and Jin immediately sat down. "So you're a demon. No surprise, considering how you manipulated all of us!!"  
"Now, Utaku, really, it was for your own good."  
"I don't care! I had the right to know!" Utaku slammed his hands down on the table. Jin had never seen his dad so angry, and it was scaring him. "Now you tell me our son, no, your son, is half demon, and the reason he's been like this is due to his powers maturing!"  
"Dad, calm down," Jin said in a small voice. Utaku turned to Jin, causing his son to cower lower into his chair.  
"Demon, you are not my son! If I had a son, he would at least be normal! Not some monster like you," Then Utaku did the unthinkable. He slapped Jin, hard. So hard, in fact, Jin fell to the floor. Morgana, now in a complete stage of shock, knelt down on the floor to check on her son.  
"Utaku, you're going too far!" Then she whispered to Jin, "It's no longer safe here as long as he is around. Please, leave here for your own safety. Right now, I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to kill you. Go, run!"  
"Love you, mom."  
"Love you too, Jin, now go!"  
Jin didn't waste another minute. Heeding his mothers' advice, he bolted for the door.  
"Demon! I'm not done with you yet!" Utaku ran out of the room and into another one, intent on getting something.  
Jin ignored him, and he ran out into the woods by his home. When he was about fifty feet in, he heard a gunshot. Stopping dead in his tracks, he turned and looked at the open door to the kitchen.  
Jin saw his father with his rifle pointing down at the floor, right where Jin had left his mother. "Mom," he whispered as his dad came to the door. His own father fired several shots that just missed Jin's head. Now in a sheer panic, Jin turned and ran as far as he possibly could. Several gunshots zinged by him as he continued to run full out. Jin looked back to see Utaku several yards behind him. In that short of a time, however, Jin reached the cliffs at the end of the woods.  
Skidding to a halt, he carefully looked over the edge. About 300 feet up, maybe more, he thought. BANG! Another gunshot ricocheted off the rocks by Jin's feet. Looking back one more time, he saw that Utaku had now right behind him, the rifle aimed at Jin's chest.  
"Now die," Utaku said, his voice full of rage and hate. Without thinking, Jin jumped over the edge of the cliff. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Jin never hit the water or rocks that were below the cliff. Instead, Jin landed in a snow covered valley. Gingerly, he got up, rubbing his head.  
"Ow," he looked around him. "Where the hell am I?"  
Suddenly, Jin felt a large surge of energy rise up within him. It was painful, as though his body was meting and then rebuilding itself. He cried out in both alarm and in pain.  
Jin first felt his body lengthen in a sudden, white hot stretch. It felt as though he was being pulled like taffy. He could feel his bones stretch, weaken, and then re-strengthen, as though nothing had happened. His clothes were too small in some places, and ripped. Some bits of cloth did stay, mainly around his torso and hips. Next he felt something push out of the skin on his head. It felt pointy, and seemed to be made of bone itself. He also felt his ears lengthen and his hearing got sharper. Jin could now here ever crack of twig, and every step in the muffling snow. Jin could feel his hair lengthen and begin to tickle the nape his neck and the sides of his face.  
The entire transformation could not have taken more than one minute, maybe two, but for Jin it lasted and eternity. When it was all said and done, Jin was no longer the puny little boy who he had woken up as. He had gotten taller, stronger, and, he felt, more powerful than ever before. Jin starred wide eyed at his now muscular arms, felt his ears, and discovered what the piece of bone on his head was. A horn.  
Wha-? before he could think another thought, a complete and total exhaustion swept over him. Swaying on his feet, Jin sat slowly down on the freezing cold ground. Shaking from the exhaustion and cold, he felt the darkness closing in. After only a brief battle, he gave in to it. He was too cold and tired to care. Jin collapsed on the ground and did not move, even after the blizzard hit the area.  
  
Well, there it is! Jin's tale. Now, who will help our poor little wind master out of his predicament? Heh! I'm not telling! Yes, I know Jin's dad was a little, um, psychotic, maybe? However, I did some research (yes, I research murders and human psyche in my spare time. Got a problem? I love death and the human mind) and I found out that on occasion, a person will snap if they feel betrayed or used. It can result in murders and suicides. Jin's dad was normal, but the shock of having a wife who was a demon and a son who was half demon was too much for him, so, *snap*. Read and Review, love to hear from ya. Oh yeah, the author's note applies to every chapter in this story. At least until I have some spare time. 


	3. Two Shinobi and Touya

Hello. So, now Jin's and Touya's pre-meeting-each-other pasts have been revealed. Now, it's time for them to actually meet each other. These chapters might be shorter than the first two, no guarantee. Read on! (Ah, yes, this has nothing to do with the story, but.CONGRATS TO BALDWIN HIGH MARCHING BAND, CHAPTER 8 CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!! WOOO!) I make it sound like Touya found the shelter immediately after the fall, but he really found it a few months later. The forest was really big and he got lost a lot.  
  
Ice Meet Wind Ch. 3: Two Shinobi and Touya  
  
After Touya had been thrown off the cliff, he fell for an entire day before connecting with the ground. However, the force of contact that should have killed him did nothing to harm him. Touya was unscathed, but only physically. Emotionally he was a complete wreck. It was because of those emotions that he crawled into the forest and wandered aimlessly until he found some form of shelter. The shelter was a cave deep in the woods. Seeing the shelter, Touya ran for it and soon entered the mouth of the cave. Touya had thought he was alone, until a soft voice spoke behind him.  
"Boy, what are you doing out here n this cold?" Startled, Touya twirled around and faced the speaker.  
The man who had spoken appeared at a glance to be middle age, with long silvery-blue hair and liquid light brown eyes. He was sitting by a small fire wrapped up in his traveling cloak. The way he was looking at Touya caused the boy to give an involuntary shudder. Raising a hand, the mysterious man beckoned Touya forward with a long, slim finger.  
"Who are you, boy?" His voice had a slightly brittle quality under it's softness. Almost as though ice crystals had formed in his throat.  
Touya hesitated before answering simply, "Touya."  
"Touya, huh?" the mans eyes looked over Touya once again. Then, to Touya's utmost surprise, took off his traveling cloak and tossed it to him. "Here, you look cold."  
"I'm not cold. The cold has never bothered me," Touya said, giving the cloak back to the man. He received the cloak, giving Touya a smile.  
"Really? A rarity among apparitions. Most can't stand the cold, so the wilderness is normally abandoned during the winter season." The man stood up, and Touya saw that he was easily six feet tall. His head almost brushed the ceiling of the cave. "Come closer, Touya."  
Touya obediently went over to the man. Why do I trust him so much? I just met him, and he speaks to me like he's known me forever. When Touya got closer, the man grabbed his hand and pulled him down to his eye level.  
"You have good eyes," the man muttered, looking deep into his eyes. "You have the ability to become an ice master someday. Quite possibly a very powerful one, judging by what your eyes bear."  
"Ice master?" Touya's eyes had widened at those words. Father.They had said he was a minor one. "Me, and ice master? I don't think I have enough strength too."  
The mysterious man cut him off. "Strength is in the heart, not in the muscles. When you meet someone or something which or whom you connect to, your strength will be unleashed. Touya, that is when the true training of any type of master begins." he paused and starred at Touya again. He looked like he was contemplating something important. Finally, he spoke, "I myself have been looking for a student to teach before I pass on, and I do believe you will do nicely. Well, young Touya, would you like to be trained in the art of ice?"  
"Huh?" Touya blinked, thinking he hadn't heard correctly, "You're an ice master?"  
"Yes, one of the most powerful alive. I am Shirikubo, (pronounced shar-e-ku-bo) ice master of the Shinobi of the Makai. I only told you that because I hope for you to be my student. If you accept my offer, I will teach you all I know. You may add moves or change them once you complete the training. Now," he said as his liquid eyes continued to stare into Touya's icy blue ones. "My question is, do you accept my offer?"  
Touya was quiet, thinking things over. Father was a minor ice master. So, he was a weak one. Touya almost said no until the memory of what happened to his family filled his thoughts. Folding his hands into fists and squeezing them, Touya finally said the answer, the one he felt was the right one.  
"Yes, I accept your offer. I promise to train as hard as I can." So I can kill off those damn Ice Maidens for what they did to my family. he finished in his thoughts.  
Shirikubo smiled. "Excellent. However, you remember what I said about connect to someone or something?" Touya nodded. "I can tell by how you are now that you haven't connected to that special person or thing yet. You must do that before your training officially starts. Until that day, however, you are more than welcome to tag along with me in my travels. I must admit, I would enjoy some company."  
"Thank you so much," Touya barely held back the tears. Someone actually wants me around!! I can someday be useful! "I promise, I will work hard. For as long as necessary." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
7 years have passed since that day. Touya was no longer a small, six year old child. He had grown up into a well built teenager; his form had filled out and he had gotten taller (but not by much). The only things that stayed the same about him were his eyes and hair. His eyes were still icy blue and his hair still had those unusual green spiked bangs.  
Touya never found whatever or whoever he was supposed to connect to, so he never began the true training. Shirikubo took some pity on the child and taught him some minor healing abilities. It turned out Touya had quite a bit of talent with healing. If things had gone differently in his life, he could have easily become one of the greatest healers ever born. But, as both master and pupil knew, that was not possible. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Come along, Touya. We are almost at the cabin." Shirikubo had suddenly decide to take Touya with him on a trip to visit his friend. Touya had no idea who this friend was, and the curiosity was killing him.  
"Sensei," he said timidly, looking up at his master whom was walking beside him. "Who is this friends of yours? I mean, what's his name and what does he do?"  
"I figured you'd ask that eventually," Shirikubo smiled at Touya. Shirikubo had become something of a father figure to Touya ever since he had adopted the Forbidden Child as a student. He always encouraged Touya to ask questions, he said they helped to broaden ones' mind. "Kyoko is one of my teammates in the Shinobi. He's the master of wind, and mind you, he's a master of all the wind. Kyoko always has amazed me at how he could just listen to the wind and determine anything. Where enemies are, how far something is, he even got the wind to sing us all to sleep once! He's amazing, and don't you dare think about leaving me and becoming his student," Shirikubo added, smiling at Touya. It was obviously a bit of a joke.  
"You know I'd never leave you until I become a master of ice," Touya said huffily. Then he added with a smirk, "Then maybe I'll leave you and become a master of two elements."  
"Sure you will," Shirikubo laughed out loud. "You'll become the greatest Shinobi of all! One of two element, wind and ice!! Make the wind carry your snow to your enemy and dump it on their heads!!!"  
Their laughter was heard throughout the wilderness, and by the wind. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Kyoko was about the same age as Shirikubo and had known the ice master for many decades. He too was looking for a student, but none could stand the way the wind master taught. Kyoko was a bouncy, always cheery master who found anything amusing, especially a good fight. He was tall, had cerulean hair that was pulled back into a low pony tail, tan skin, and had a set of very long, pointed ears. A good set of ears was essential to being a wind master, for the master must always catch what the wind is saying, even in a light breeze. Kyoko always listened to the wind, for updates, news, anything. Today it brought him some very good news.  
"Eh?" Kyoko twitched one ear in the direction of the blowing wind. His British accent was out of place, considering it made him sound more regal than he really was. "Shiri's coming?! WOO HOO!" He jumped out of the window he was sitting by and zoomed off to greet his old friend. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Touya was completely unprepared for what kind of greeting they got from Kyoko. One minute his sensei was standing right beside him, the next he was tackled to the ground by a speeding mass of cerulean.  
"Shiri!!" screamed the cerulean blob, hugging Shirikubo tightly. "So glad you made it, mate! It's been ages!!"  
"Kyoko, I know," Shirikubo's voice was muffled because his face was pressed into the wind master's chest. "I can't breathe."  
"Oh, sorry!!" Kyoko let go of Shirikubo and held him out at arms length, "Been far too long. I haven't seen you in almost a decade! What's been keeping you?"  
"I got a student," Shirikubo motioned Touya over. "This is Touya. Once I believe he's ready he will learn all that I know about ice. Touya, this is Kyoko, master of the wind."  
Touya was still in shock at the other master's attitude, but still politely extended his hand out to him. "Nice to meet you." he said quietly.  
"Now, none of that!" Kyoko swept Touya into a bone breaking hug. "You're Shiri's new student!! Let me take a look at you," he held Touya out and looked into his eyes, "Yep! You'll make a great ice master! You start training yet?"  
"He hasn't found his source of strength yet, I'm afraid." Kyoko looked at Shirikubo as he spoke, a look of surprise on his face. "I will stay with him until he finds it, though. I see great potential. Kyoko," Shirikubo said to Touya. "Was my source of strength. We both grew up together, and understood each other perfectly. I was always quiet while he was outgoing. When we met our masters, they saw that we were connected and trained us together. Even in battle we worked separately from the others. Bit of outcasts, really."  
"Now, now," Kyoko cut off Shirikubo with a wave of his hand. "Outcast is such a strong word. Besides, we got the job done. Now we are masters looking for students to pass on our knowledge to. Shirikubo made an excellent choice, and now I must find a student as well." Suddenly a gust of wind ruffled their hair. "Brr! A blizzard is coming. Let's go to my cabin before the storm hits."  
They trudged off through the wilderness to the wind master's cabin in the clearing. The wind was gusting so loud in their ears that they never heard the thump of a body hitting the ground.  
  
Yup. More to come, stay tuned, and read and review. Yes, I know Jin acts just like Kyoko. Where do you think he gets it from? 


	4. Amidst the Fresh Fallen Snow

Wow, I'm getting reviews!! AMAZING! But first, I must answer this question from Dragon Scythe: NO! Kyoko is NOT modeled after me! He is like Jin, understand?! Only calmer! GOT IT? (I'm allowed to rant at her. We're related, though she will deny it.) You just wish he was modeled after me. Anywho, thanks for the reviews, people, and may the story continue!  
  
Ice Meet Wind Ch. 4: Amidst the Fresh Fallen Snow  
  
Shirikubo, Kyoko and Touya were all sitting in Kyoko's cabin, safe from the biting blizzard winds outside. Throwing another log on the fire, Kyoko stood up and stretched.  
"Oy!" he muttered, "I hate being cooped up! Can't wait for this thing to blow over!"  
"I like it," said Touya, starring out to window. "The snow will be deep once it's over."  
"Hmm." Shirikubo smiled, giving a small chuckle, "It seems you are destined to become an ice master. Your love of the snow has always been prominent."  
If you only knew why, Touya thought sadly. He had never told Shirikubo about his family. Since Shirikubo had never asked, Touya had never told. It was his own private secret, and he meant for it never to be told to anyone. Snow reminded him of his family; the cold winters they spent in their cabin, bundled up with only each other for company. Those times always made him smile, he hardly ever thought of the bad.  
"Touya," Kyoko jarred Touya out of his thoughts, "I have a pile of wood out back, would you mind getting some more firewood for us?"  
"Yes sir," Touya bowed and left the two of them alone. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Touya wasn't stupid. He knew they were just trying to get rid of him to talk about something. Something they believed he couldn't hear.  
I'm not a child anymore! What do they think I am? Touya thought frustrated. It wasn't the first time Shirikubo had done this to him. Shirikubo always did something like this when Touya and him entered a town, or were near others.  
Touya stayed just outside the door to the fire room, where his master and friend remained. From his vantage point, he could see the fire light dance across their faces and hear every word they spoke, even when they whispered.  
"Shiri," Kyoko sounded very serious, unlike his normally cheery self. "There's something strange going on. Right before I shut the door, the wind told me of a new arrival in this neck of the woods."  
"An intruder, no doubt."  
"No, this one is different. He fell through my barriers like they were nothing."  
"Wait," Shirikubo said sharply. "Fell? What do you mean by fell?"  
"Exactly what it sounds like. He fell through the protective barriers of this clearing. Almost as though from a great height. Did you sense anything unusual after that time?"  
"Now that you mention it, I sensed an unusual surge of power right around that time. I didn't think much of it because it died away just as quickly. But that might just have been a lower class demon getting too much power for it to bear."  
"Still," Kyoko still retained his serious attitude. "I think the two of us should go out in the morning and look for any clue."  
"Why'd you send Touya out there then?" Shirikubo asked sharply.  
"The wind spoke of it being at the edge of the clearing. The wood pile is just outside the door. He should be fine, as long as the wind and your senses are correct."  
Touya didn't bother to hear anymore. An intruder, huh? Interesting. That explained why they wanted him to leave. Shirikubo and Kyoko didn't want him to be freaked out at the possibility of attack. Better hurry up and get the wood before they get suspicious. Touya opened the front door and walked out side. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The blizzard had let up some over the few hours they had spent inside. Snow was now falling lightly around Touya and settling softly on the ground. Without a warning, Touya flung himself into a snow bank and rolled around in the fresh powder. Nothing made him happier than to roll around in the snow. Once, right after Shirikubo found him, he had stayed outside for twelve hours just rolling in snow piles. The habit never grew out of him.  
After only twenty minutes of this, he reluctantly got up. I have to get that wood. he thought to himself. It would be very suspicious if he came back hours later. I'll just get that wood and then come back outside!! Touya walked over to the wood pile and selected a few choice logs to take with him. Then he walked back into the house and into the fire room.  
"Here is the wood, sir and Sensei," he said, depositing the wood into a pile by the fireplace. He must have interrupted their talk, because they were looking guiltily at him. Sensei never usually let Touya play in the snow for very long bits of time, so what his Sensei said next surprised him.  
"Touya, why don't you go outside and play for a while? I wish to speak to Kyoko in private for some time."  
"What?" Kyoko looked surprised. "What about the intrud-?" he caught himself and clamped a hand over his mouth before he could say anymore. To Kyoko's surprise, as well as Touya's, Shirikubo began to laugh.  
"Touya already knows about it! I could sense him listening to us outside the door. You need to learn how to mask your energy," the last comment was directed at Touya, causing him to blush.  
"So, you'll let me stay outside, then? For how long?" Touya was suspicious as to how long this precious moment would last.  
"How does the rest of daylight sound?" ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The door slammed behind Touya as he leapt into the snow. He rolled all around the front yard of the cabin, making snow angels where ever he stopped rolling. Eventually, he crushed all the fresh snow into thin sheets against the ground. This kind of snow isn't fun to roll around in. he thought,. Then, on a sudden burst of inspiration, he thought, The back yard hasn't been touched yet!!! There should be some fresh snow back there.  
Getting up off the ground, Touya walked to the back yard. To his surprise, it was a slight hill. He always used hills as slides, even those with a gentle slope. In order to make the slide fast, though, Touya had to crush the snow to make something of a path. He back up, and took a running start and slid down the small incline.  
Touya cherished every bite of the frozen crystals on his face as he slid down on his stomach. Once he slowed down to a stop, he got up and trudged back up to the top. It wasn't that big of a slope, but it would do just nicely.  
When Touya was back at the start of his slide, he backed up to take another running start. He ran forward, sliding down the slippery snow on his feet.  
Looks like I had too much of a running start. Touya thought as he slid down the slope. He could tell that he would not stop where the slide 'officially' ended. Touya kept going, even after he was off the path way. Suddenly, with no warning, he tripped over something and landed flat on his face.  
"Ouch!!" Touya muttered, getting off the ground and looking for what ever he had tripped over. Touya was expecting a log, but what he found was a body. "Hey! You okay?" He shouted, poking the body with his foot. To his great surprise, the body let out a small groan and rolled over a bit. Touya could now see that the body was actually someone about the same age as him with bright red hair. Without thinking twice, Touya picked the body up and moved one arm around his shoulders to help with the weight distribution. Moving slowly, Touya began to climb back up the small hill and headed for the cabin.  
It took him about ten minutes to haul the body to the cabin, and by the time he got there Touya was sweating. This guy's heavier than he looks! Fumbling with the door, he eventually got inside the cabin. Touya gently put the guy on the floor then looked for Shirikubo and Kyoko. He found them just where he had left them, in the fire room.  
"Touya? What's wrong?" Shirikubo asked as Touya barged through the door.  
"Sensei! I need some help here!!"  
  
This chapter was shorter than the others, in my opinion. But can yins guess who the mystery body is? *wink wink* Review, and I'll dish these chapters out as fast as I can! 


	5. Waking Up in a Whole New World

Hey, I'm glad to here that yins like this story!!! I'm getting more reviews than I thought I would, and I wasn't expecting that many, to be honest. My self esteem is going up!!! WOO! I have no idea how long this story's going to be, I'm kind of writing it as I go. Nothing's planned out. That's actually why I am asking you to be patient after this chapter. No clue when the one after this will be done. Oh, yeah. One more thing. Um, I just noticed the other day that the italics haven't been coming up, so thoughts will now have these things '' around them. I'll fix up the other chapters once I post this one. ALRIGHT! Enough of my rambling, on with the chapter!!!  
  
Ice Meet Wind 5: Waking Up in a Whole New World  
  
Shirikubo followed Touya out into the hall, wondering what Touya needed help with. When he saw the body, he stopped dead in his tracks, causing Kyoko to run into him.  
"Ow! Why'd you go and stop-" Kyoko shut up at the sight of the body on the floor. His eyes got wider and wider until Touya thought they were going to pop out of his head.  
"Touya," Shirikubo said quietly, trying to keep his voice calm. "Where'd you find this boy?"  
"It'll sound stupid," Touya muttered, embarrassed at how he had tripped over the boy. He was so embarrassed that he actually started to blush.  
"Just tell me Touya!" snapped Shirikubo. Touya was taken aback. Shirikubo never snapped unless it was really important.  
"I was sliding around in the snow," Touya began. "And I lost control and tripped over him. I wasn't sure if he was alive or not, so I brought him here. Did I do something wrong?" he added in a scared voice.  
Shirikubo sighed. He hated scaring Touya like that. Even though most masters treated their students indifferently, Shirikubo was actually very fond of the boy. "No, Touya." he said softly, still staring at the boy on the floor, "You did what you thought was right. I couldn't ask more from you. Kyoko," he directed his final comment at the wind master, who still had his eyes bugging out of his head. "Take this boy to one of the bedrooms. We shall take care of him then question him when he wakes up."  
Kyoko nodded and picked the boy off the floor. Moving him gently so he wouldn't make any bone breaks worse, Kyoko took him to the bedroom next to Touya's room. Touya and Shirikubo went to their rooms to get their medicinal supplies.  
Shirikubo shut the door behind him, and let out a sigh. 'One of them? I thought their race had disappeared years ago,' he thought. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Shirikubo went to his dresser. Rummaging through several weapons, scrolls and clothes, he finally found his medicinal supplies. A basic set of medicinal supplies consisted of wound wraps, healing herbs for wounds, and herbs for illness. Shirikubo had given Touya a set like that as a gift for being so talented in healing. Shirikubo naturally had a more complex set, but needed some herbs from Touya's kit.  
Touya, when he was younger, had accidentally stumbled upon some rare herbs that helped relieve frost bite and chills. The boy had no idea what they were, but had picked lots because he thought they were pretty. It wasn't until Shirikubo found them drying that he had realized what his young student had found. Shirikubo let Touya keep the herbs, just in case they ever found a creature who needed them. Now, there was a boy in the next room who needed them, and Shirikubo hoped that Touya hadn't lost those herbs.  
A knock on the door jolted Shirikubo out of his thoughts. Walking to his bedroom door, Shirikubo hesitated before opening it. 'Why am I being so cautious?' he thought when he saw Touya there with a medical kit.  
"Are you feeling okay?" Touya asked, looking up to his teacher.  
"Yes, I'm fine Touya. Let's go treat that boy before he gets any worse." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
In the next bedroom Kyoko was examining the mysterious boy Touya had found. The whole reason Kyoko had been so shocked was because the boy looked like an elf. Upon closer inspection, Kyoko realized he was an elf. Elves had been thought for many years to have died out, but in reality they just moved out of sight of all demons and apparitions. Deep in the dark forests of the Makai they now lived, and they never came out. To find one this far from their homeland was very unusual.  
"Kyoko," Shirikubo's voice sounded behind him, signaling that the medicine was here.  
"This boy is an elf, Shiri," Kyoko said, but then added on a softer note, "But I don't think he's a pure breed. Look, he has a horn on his head, and fangs. Pure elves don't have those, nor are they this big. I have a feeling this boy is a cross between at least one other creature other than elf."  
"No matter, we'll ask him when he wakes up." Shirikubo turned to Touya, ready to drill him on healing. Shirikubo never missed an opportunity to drill his student, because if he didn't then all those skills Touya had learned would get rusty. "Touya, do you remember the steps that you must take in order to make a proper diagnosis?"  
"Yes, Sensei. Do you want me to say them out loud as I perform them?"  
"Yes, that way I know you know what your doing."  
"Alright," Touya walked over to where the boy was laying and knelt by his bed. "First, you have to look them over for any type of physical injury. See? This guy has a gash right here on his arm." Touya pointed to a long gash that ran from the boy's wrist to just above his elbow. "But you don't treat it immediately, because if there was a more serious injury you don't want to overlook it because of a minor one. The next step is to check and see if there are any type of internal injuries," Touya placed his hands just above the boy's chest and concentrated. A soft blue-green light consumed his hands as Touya concentrated. It took less than a second for Touya to determine that the boy had no internal injuries, but was practically frozen from the inside out.  
Picking up his medicinal supply kit, Touya rummaged around until he pulled out a small bundle of pink blossomed flowers. Shirikubo sighed in relief, because those were the herbs that treated chills and frost bite. Touya hadn't lost them at all.  
"This guy is almost completely frozen. It's amazing he has lived this long. Do you want me to continue with my explanation, Sensei?" Touya looked expectantly up at his teacher and waited for his answer. When Shirikubo gave the affirmative, and Touya continued. "In order to use the herbs and administer them on an unconscious victim, one must crush them into a liquid state and then pour it into the victim's throat." Touya pulled a stone grinder out of the kit and placed the herbs between the stones. It took several minutes for the herbs to be ground into a liquid, put Touya caught every drop in a bowl he had placed under the grinder. Once he was finished, he carefully poured the liquid into the boy's throat and sat back.  
"I'm impressed, kid," Kyoko said, stunned by this boy's knowledge. It was more than he himself knew!!  
"It's just the basics. I hope to train him to be even better as time goes on," Shirikubo's voice was full of pride. "Touya, you passed the test, that was all I wanted to see. Now you can just wrap up the wound on his arm. I know you can do that."  
Touya nodded and pulled several herbs and lengths of wrap out of his bag. He then carefully grabbed the boy's arm and rubbed the hers on it. Then he slowly wrapped the whole of the boy's arm, from palm to shoulder, so it wouldn't move. When a wound is wrapped that way, it has a tendency to heal faster than when wrapped so it can move.  
"Excellent." Shirikubo said to Touya when he had finished. "Let's leave this boy here and let him sleep. Come along."  
"Um, Sensei?" Touya asked timidly. "Can I stay here and watch over him? Just to make sure he doesn't get worse through the night?"  
Shirikubo was puzzled. Why would Touya want to watch after this boy? However, Shirikubo had the feeling Touya would stay no matter what he answered. "Alright Touya. You can stay with the boy. Just notify us once he wakes up, alright?"  
"Yes Sensei,"  
And with that the two masters took their leave from the room, leaving Touya kneeling by the mysterious young boy. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
'God, my head hurts,' Jin thought through the fog in his brain. 'How long have I been out?' Blearily he opened his eyes, but nothing was in focus enough for him to make out what anything was. He blinked a few times, and his vision cleared up some what. What he first saw was a wooden ceiling, unpainted. 'Wait. Didn't I pass out outside?' Turning his head just a little bit caused a spike of pain to be driven into his skull, but he ignored it and began to look around him.  
Jin took in the dresser, window, the walls. He noted that this was a small room, but spacious enough to hold what one needed in life. Then Jin looked to his left, and nearly fell off the bed in surprise.  
A guy about his age, maybe younger, was kneeling by his bed. Well, had been kneeling. It looked like he had fallen asleep with his head on the foot of the bed Jin was lying in. Jin was a bit shocked to see that the guy had silvery-blue hair with green spikes. His whole rustling around in surprise must have disturbed the guy from his sleep, because the guy was moving around a bit as if to stretch before waking up. Then the guy opened his eyes.  
"Ahh!" they both screamed, trying to jump as far away from the other as possible. Jin couldn't get very far because there was a headboard right behind him. The guy had leapt all the way to the other side of the room and was now pressed against the dresser.  
"Don't do that!" the guy said, clutching his chest in shock. His icy, slightly deep voice surprised Jin even more. He wasn't expecting a voice like that to come from a guy smaller than him. "I don't like to be freaked out first thing in the morning!"  
Jin had freaked out because he had seen the guy's eyes. There were no pupils in his eyes, just the same icy blue as the iris. It was as if he had never had pupils to begin with. "Who are you and where am I?!" Jin demanded, wanting to know what had happened to him. His accent must have confused the guy, because he was looking at him curiously.  
"Um, would you repeat that?" Jin repeated it, feeling incredibly annoyed, but then again, this wasn't the first time. It took most people at least four tries to get what he was saying. "Well," 'There's no way in hell he's going to get it.' Jin thought. "I'm Touya, and you're in Kyoko's cabin in the forests of the Makai."  
Jin nearly fell over in surprise again. This guy understood him! But he was still confused. "Um, where's the Makai?" he asked.  
Now it was the guy's turn to be surprised. "Are you stupid or something? The Makai is where you are right now." then he cleared his throat and headed to the door, "Oh, what's your name?"  
"Jin,"  
"Okay, now Jin," he said opening the door. "I have to go tell my master that you're awake. Stay put and try not to move." and he was out the door, shutting it behind him in the process.  
Jin's head hurt even more now. All that jumping around wasn't helping his head in the least. Slowly, so he wouldn't hurt his head anymore, Jin lowered himself back to a laying position on the bed. Once his head was securely on the pillow, he closed his eyes. 'I'll just wait like this for him to come back,' he thought. Slowly, he slipped into an incredibly light doze.  
His doze didn't last long. He was jarred from it when the door flew open, announcing the arrival of Touya's sensei. Forcing his eyes open, he saw Touya and the man who must be his master. The man had long silvery-blue hair and abnormally liquid-looking eyes.  
"Glad to see you pulled through," the man said, giving Jin a friendly smile. Jin felt himself instantly relax under that smile. This man had an air about him that could be trusted, though his voice was icy like Touya's. "I am Shirikubo, master of ice. I understand that you have already met Touya, my student."  
Jin almost nodded, but then thought of his head. It would hurt if he nodded, so he decided to just say, "Yes. We've met briefly." Touya gave him a small smile from behind his master.  
"Excellent, now if you wouldn't mind, I would like to ask you a few questions. You don't mind, do you?"  
Before Jin could answer, he heard a slightly airy voice with a British accent shout down the hallway, "Oi! You honestly don't think you're going to leave me out of this?! I demand a presence in this interrogation!!!"  
The owner of the voice soon made his presence known. Jin watched amazed as a man much faster than him zipped into the room and proceeded to argue with the man called Shirikubo. The man had long cerulean hair and somewhat dark skin. "I want to be present! This is my house and I demand a presence here in this room!!" He continued to argue along those lines, until Jin began to laugh. Jin wasn't just laughing, Jin was cracking up. It caused all those in the room to look at him.  
"S-sorry!" he gasped out once he calmed down a bit. "It's just that that's exactly how I would argue with my mom! Bring up random topics and try and make it work!!" That started a fresh wave of laughter from Jin, remembering the look on his mom's face when his arguments made no point whatsoever. The look was exactly the same as the one that had been on Shirikubo's face.  
"The boy has an accent!! A thick one, at that!!" the new guy stated obviously, earning a fresh wave of laughter from Jin and a chuckle from Touya, who was finding this all very amusing. The guy more or less ran over to Jin and shook his hand. "I'm Kyoko the wind master! It's so nice to meet someone else who thinks along the same lines as me!!"  
"Ditto," Jin said through his laughter.  
"Can we start with the questions now?" Shirikubo asked, thoroughly annoyed at his friends behavior. Kyoko quickly broke away from Jin and stood by Shirikubo. Then Jin processed what Kyoko had told him.  
"Wait! Wind master? As in you can fly?"  
"Yep! I can fly, run fast, and my personality matches my element!!" Then he got suspicious, and looked at Jin with mock-serious eyes, "And how would you know that? Didn't you live some kind of sheltered life in the forests of the Makai?"  
"Hey! I'm supposed to be asking the questions here!" Shirikubo pushed Kyoko out of the way and then glared at Jin with similar eyes, "Answer the question! The one he just asked." Touya fell over laughing behind his master, and Jin almost fell off the bed. Shirikubo looked at the two of them as if he had never seen anything quite like this before.  
It took Jin longer to calm down this time, but when he did he finally answered the question. "My mom told me about them before.she left." he made up the lie quickly, not wanting to admit to himself what had really happened to her. "And where is the Makai? Touya said I was in it now, but I don't recall ever having anything like this by my home."  
"Touya spoke true when he said that that's where you are," Shirikubo looked confused at Jin's question. "What do you mean, nothing like this by your home?"  
"What I mean is, no one was like you guys, my house was the only one for miles around, and I don't recall having snow when I left." Then, on a sudden burst of inspiration, he asked, "Um, are you guys called demons or something? I remember my mom told me about them, too. Said I was half one."  
Kyoko and Shirikubo looked shocked at Jin's words. They had never met a creature who was only half demon. What was the other half? Touya, on the other hand, didn't look disturbed in the least.  
"Boy," Shirikubo said, giving his head a shake. "Yes, we are demons, but you must do this for me. You must answer this and be as specific as possible. Where are you from and if you're half demon, what's the other half?  
"Well, I'm from Dublin, Ireland originally. But my family and I moved to Tokyo, Japan not that long ago. This specific enough?" Shirikubo nodded yes and Jin kept going. "My mom told me that I'm a quarter elf, a quarter some other type of demon, and half human."  
The jaws of Shirikubo and Kyoko just dropped while Touya starred at him dumbfounded. "What?" Jin asked, now confused.  
  
Alright, I don't feel that good so I'm stopping there. If you guys don't give me reviews, I won't update. And those reviews don't necessarily have to be from this story. I would like a few more reviews on my Ghost and Shadow story. Please!! 


	6. Explanations and Questions of Necessity

Oy, I know I left yins hanging. I sorry, but I was sick and then I got writers block and tried to kill my computer. But I back now, and I hope this whole chapter clears some things up. Before I forget: 1) Thanks for reviews! Once the story's over, I'll try and thank you all individually, if possible. But for now, please accept a general thanks. 2) Sorry yaoi fans, but this story ain't gonna be yaoi. As I said in the first chappie, I can't write it, so none of my stories will be yaoi.  
  
Ice Meet Wind Ch. 6: Explanations and Questions of Necessity  
  
"What? Why are you all staring at me?" Jin asked, thoroughly confused by their reactions. 'All I did was tell them what they wanted to know. Did I freak them out?' "Hello? I would like an answer here."  
"Sensei. Uh, Sensei?" Touya was the first to snap out of the shock, and was trying to get his master to do the same.  
"Did he just say what I think he said?" Shirikubo asked himself. Touya's attempt to snap him out of it wasn't working.  
"Impossible!" Kyoko was no longer his upbeat self. His face was very pale and expression was one of extreme shock. In fact, he looked like he was about to pass out right then and there.  
"Um.Sensei? Kyoko? Hello? Anyone home?" Touya was waving his hands in front of the two ninjas' faces. He even went as far as to snap his fingers, but nothing brought the two older men back to their senses.  
"Did I do something? Why'd you all freak out?!" Jin's mood had not improved over the course of the past few moments. He was now incredibly confused and slightly angry. "Answer me, damn it!" he directed his next question to Touya and Touya only. "Why'd you freak out?"  
Touya sighed and turned to look at the red head. "I was surprised, I didn't freak. I've never heard of a half human demon before. I didn't even know such a thing was possible."  
"Well, it is because I'm sitting right here in front of you!" Jin started to raise his voice, but then thought better of it. All the while these two were talking, Shirikubo and Kyoko were standing in shock in the middle of the room. "Look, I'm really confused. Can you just answer me a few questions? Please?"  
"Sure."  
"Right. Well, what the hell is a Makai? I didn't get a straight answer before."  
"Well," Touya began. "The Makai is where demons live, which is something you already know. I have no idea what the Ningenkai is like, but I'm sure that this place is similar to it. There are towns, forests and mountains. But there are also some other places that can only be found here." Touya trailed off. The one place he could think of that can only be found in the Makai was the floating island of the Ice Maidens. 'No!' He thought to himself. 'Don't think about it. Don't bring back the memories.'  
"Ok," Jin could tell Touya didn't want to talk about that anymore, so he wouldn't push the subject. "Well.um.What are you? As in, how do you know these guys and what demon are you?"  
"Shirikubo is my master. I'm in training to be an Ice Master just like him. Kyoko is his friend from a long time ago. We just got here less than a day ago. I found you when I was out.in the snow," Touya caught himself. He had almost said playing in the snow. That wouldn't sound right; he wasn't a kid anymore. "Anyway, Kyoko is a Wind Master, and apparently he and my master worked together a long time ago."  
"Yes, but what type of demon are you?" Jin had caught Touya. Touya had no intention of ever telling Jin his heritage. Now, he had no choice.  
"I'm part ice apparition, ok? I won't say the other half," he snapped.  
Jin was taken aback. 'Did I pry too far?' he thought. He wasn't used to Touya snapping, even if they had only known each other for an hour. Jin didn't get the impression Touya snapped at anyone. 'I'll try and make it up to him,' he thought finally. "Sorry, I won't ask again." Jin apologized quickly. That seemed to do the trick.  
"Bad memories about my past, so apology accepted. As long as you promise not to ask again."  
"Ok, um." Jin thought of another question to ask, but his train of thought was cut off when the wind master collapsed into a chair, knocking several things over on his way down. "HEY! He ok?!"  
"I think so," Touya snapped his fingers in front of Kyoko's face, and Kyoko blinked. "Yeah, he's fine. He just knocked over some medical supplies on the way down." When Touya bent down to pick up the plants, Jin noticed a bead on a small ribbon fall out of his shirt. The bead and the broken ribbon rolled across the floor and stopped by Jin's bed side.  
Jin bent over and picked up the bead. He looked at it as it sat in the palm of his hand. The bead was in fact some sort of gem, and was a curious swirl of red and icy blue. Jin could feel a kind of power coming out of the bead, and it was comforting to him. He almost didn't give it back, but then thought better of it. "Hey, Touya," he asked once the apprentice Ice Master was finished picking the plants up off the floor. "This yours? Looks like the ribbon broke," he held out the gem and ribbon.  
"What?" Touya eyed the ribbon, then felt the area where it would've hung if the ribbon hadn't broke. "How'd that break?!" he ran over and snatched the ribbon and gem from Jin.  
"I take it that's special to you?" Jin asked. He recognized that expression. He himself had wore it when he thought he lost his mom's heirloom.  
"The last thing my mom gave me, if you must know." Touya said, retying the ribbon and placing it back around his neck. "Good," he muttered to himself. "The ribbon just came undone."  
"I have something like that," Jin said, reaching under his shirt and pulling out a ring on a chain. "My mom gave me this about 2 weeks ago. Said it was a family heirloom. Want to see it?" Jin undid the chain and held out the ring to Touya. Truth is, Touya was the first person he had even shown the ring to. Not even his dad knew Morgana had given him the ring as a belated birthday present.  
Touya accepted the ring from Jin and examined it. The band was of a kind of metal Touya had never seen before, and the gem was a clear, clear purple. All in all, it was a very beautiful ring. Touya could see why Jin treasured it just as much as he himself treasured his mom's tear gem. "It's a very pretty ring," Touya said, still turning it over and over in his hand. " But what is the band made out of? It doesn't quite feel like metal."  
"According to my mom, the band is made out of something called Airbida. The gem is called a Crystalline Samba. Apparently, those two things can only be found in her home town." Jin trailed off. Not only did the memories overwhelm him, the fact that Kyoko suddenly jumped out the chair he was laying in and shouted scared Jin a little.  
"AIRBIDA!? CRYSTALLINE SAMBA?! ARE YOU SURE?!" He ran over to Jin and proceeded to shake him slightly while waiting for and answer.  
"Um.I'm pretty sure that's what my mom said," Jin said in between shakes. Shirikubo had also abruptly snapped out of it at those words. And he also had come running over to Jin and shook him with Kyoko.  
"If you shake him anymore, his brains will fly out of his head," Touya warned. The metal felt cool and light in Touya's hand, and he didn't want to let it go. It was a similar feeling to his tear gem.  
"Where is this ring? This is a ring, right?" Shirikubo asked, heeding Touya's advice and stopped shaking Jin. He asked the question as calmly as he could, but his voice shook with excitement.  
"Huh?" Jin looked really confused. 'What's so special about the ring? I thought it was just an heirloom,' he thought. Touya was thinking along those same lines as well. "I just handed it over to Touya to look at." Jin didn't get any farther. Shirikubo and Kyoko dropped Jin back on the bed and ran over to Touya and shook him.  
"Let's see it!" the two ninjas said in unison.  
"What's so special about it?" Touya asked, looking more than a little freaked out.  
"Just show it to us!" Touya looked over at Jin for permission. Jin gave the nod, and Touya handed it over. "It really is Airbida and Crystalline Samba. Shiri, do you know what this means?" Kyoko asked the Ice Master.  
"It means at least one Rivair Elf escaped the forest after the whole species went into lock down." Shirikubo said, starring blankly at the ring, trying to comprehend what was going on.  
"Rivair Elf?" Touya and Jin asked, looking more confused than ever. Touya went over to Jin and sat by him on the bed. "Do you understand any of this?" he asked.  
"Your saying you don't?" the red head replied, looking up at Touya. Touya shook his head no, and Jin's face fell. "I was hoping you did. I find it's easier to get answers out of you than those two," he gestured to the two shocked ninjas.  
"Do you want to know?" Kyoko asked. He had heard everything that had come out of Jin's mouth. Those ears were there for a purpose, and not just for the wind. He gazed at Jin with his large brown eyes, waiting for the nod. It came, and Kyoko proceeded to tell Jin and Touya the whole story.  
"Let me explain why the fact you're not only part elf, but also part human surprised us beyond all sane reason. Jin, being part elf is incredibly rare. The entire species of elves, Rivair to Tocubo and the rest, barricaded themselves in the forests of the Makai about 2 centuries ago. Said they didn't want their precious resources and blood lines to be tarnished by the outside world. No one has seen an elf since that day. And then you dropped in on us, meaning that at least one elf escaped from the barricade or species lock down, if you will." Kyoko took a deep breath, and thought about how to phrase the rest of these facts.  
"Jin, the Rivair Elves were well known for their superior wind masters and artisans. The fact that you have this ring proves that you are a direct descendent of them. Only they could make a ring like this; with these metals and gems. No other creature has mastered this specific way of jewelry making."  
"But what about me being half human?"  
"Ah, I'm getting there. You see, when that elf or elves escaped form the barricade, they were banished from ever returning. He, she, or they must have known that, and yet they left anyway. That means something more powerful than the words of their elders made them leave. It is my theory that that elf or elves fell in love with a creature of another species. He, she or they left, and gave birth to at least one half elf offspring. Am I making sense so far?" Kyoko asked Jin, making sure he didn't confuse the boy.  
"You're making perfect sense so far. But can we just say one baby was born? It'll make it easier to tell, and I already know it was possible for more than one to escape."  
"Alright, just for you. We'll say one baby was born. Now, this baby must've grown up in the Makai with his or her family. You said it was you mother that gave you the demon blood correct? So, your mom was raised with her (let's just say) elf father and a mom from another species. Then one day, word of their treachery was found out, and the elves sent killers after them. I would think you grandparents created an illegal portal and sent your mother through it, saving her. She landed in the Makai, and eventually met your father and had you."  
"All you did was explain why it was unique for me to be like this," Jin said sadly. "But what of me now? I can't rightly go back to the elves and go 'Hey! Been a while but I'm, back!'. They'll probably kill me. So, now what?"  
"It would be best for you to go back to your family," Shirikubo said. "No one in the Makai will accept you as you are now. Well, I take that back. They might accept you, but you'd have to beat them to a pulp."  
"You said your family is in Japan, Ningenkai? We can get you a portal there, no big deal." Kyoko would've continued, but let his voice fade away at the look on Jin's face. "Oi, now that look doesn't suit you. What's up?"  
Touya seemed to understand Jin's situation better than the ninjas. "Something happen back at your home?" he asked quietly.  
"You could say that. You could also say my dad isn't too accepting of me being part demon. I can't go back." Jin left a large hole in his story, and only Touya seemed to notice it. Thankfully, if anyone else did, they didn't mention it.  
"Ok," Kyoko said thoughtfully, thinking hard on the subject. Suddenly, he snapped his fingers and pointed at Jin. "Here's what I see in this situation! One: You fell through a portal and ended up in an area that you know nothing about. Two: You're part elf. Three: You can't go back home due to family issues. Four: You have an accent."  
"What's that got to do with anything?!" Shirikubo asked, walking over to Kyoko and slapping him across the back of his head. "Make your point already!"  
Kyoko rubbed his head with his hand. "Owie! I'm getting to my point, and you don't have to hit so hard!" Kyoko turned back to Jin, "My point is, you should stay with us, at least until you get some solid footing in this place."  
"You mean, you'll let me stay?" Jin's face brightened at the very thought. These were the first people whom he had met that he could actually stand to be around for long periods of time. "You mean, like a temporary family thingy?"  
"Now I wouldn't go that far-" Shirikubo was cut off when he saw the look on Touya's face. Touya was beaming at the very thought, as was Jin. 'Two peas in a pod,' he thought to himself. Kyoko elbowed him in the ribs and nodded. "Er.yes. Something like that. Depending on how long you can stand to be around us."  
"I think I can take it," Jin said, still smiling. Then, a loud rumbling was heard throughout the room. Jin immediately clutched his stomach and exclaimed, "I'm hungry!" ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The motley crew had left the room after Jin's exclamation. They now sat at the table in the kitchen, eating whatever was there and whatever someone made from whatever was there.  
"Sensei!" Touya exclaimed after shoving a type of casserole down his throat, "This is good!"  
"So is this!" Jin shouted through a mouthful of pasta that Kyoko had made.  
"What on earth do you call this Touya?" Shirikubo was poking at food Touya had made for him.  
"The 'throw-things-in-a-pot-randomly-and-hope-it-comes-out-like-food' food dish!" Touya's long title caused all sitting at the table to burst into laughter. When it all calmed down slightly, Kyoko asked what he was eating.  
"Oh, a sandwich!" Jin said, pointing at the various layers and saying what they were. "You got the bread on the outside, followed by sauce on the bread slices, then leafy greens, vegetables, and meat. All conveniently placed in between two slices of bread."  
"It good," Kyoko said, taking a huge bite out of the sandwich.  
Within the hour, every bit of food that had been prepared was gone.  
"Ahh," Kyoko smacked his lips and leaned back in his chair, a satisfied smile on his face. "Good food, everyone!"  
Touya and Jin were falling asleep on the table, Jin's head narrowly missed a plate. Shirikubo smiled at them and shook the two sleeping boys awake. "Come along you two, time to go to sleep. Touya, you have training in the morning, remember?"  
The boys barely woke up long enough to stumble into their separate rooms. Touya collapsed on his bed and was immediately asleep. Jin, across the hall from Touya, took a bit longer to fall back asleep. No matter how hard Jin tried, he could not get the memories and thoughts of his family out of his head. Both good and bad, the memories flitted in and out of his thoughts. The only thing that broke that train of thought was the sound of a door opening.  
"Jin? You asleep?"  
"Yeah, I'm asleep. You talking to a guy who talks in his sleep." Jin mumbled into his pillow.  
"Oh, really? Then, you probably don't want to hear my offer then," Kyoko moved to leave the room, and Jin shot straight up in bed.  
"Offer?" Jin practically yelled. Kyoko motioned for him to keep quiet, but Touya had heard the shout and was now listening very carefully to the voices across the hall.  
"Yeah, well," Kyoko moved away from the door and sat in the chair by Jin's bed. "Let's be blunt, ok? You are the first person I've ever met who could almost match me in energy and wit. I think that you could make an excellent wind master some day. Well, since you'll be with us for a while, maybe you could train under me." Kyoko broke off, thoroughly expecting a no to come from Jin.  
"Are you crazy?! That sounds AWESOME! I get to train under you, right? I can do that! When do I start?!" Jin began to jump up and down on the bed in excitement, and Kyoko noticed that if he kept doing that, Jin's head would be through the roof, literally.  
"Calm down!" Kyoko started to laugh, this boy's energy was infectious. "You can start in the morning with Touya if you wish, but please! Stop jumping up and down on the bed!"  
Jin stopped and immediately sat on the bed, looking at Kyoko with large blue eyes. "Are you sure it won't be a problem?"  
"No, it won't be a problem. Unless my new student falls asleep while training tomorrow morning," Kyoko stepped outside the room and moved to close the door. "Good night Jin, I'll wake you up bright and early," and then he shut the door leaving Jin alone in his room with a new train of thoughts to lull him to sleep.  
Unknown to all, Touya heard the whole thing, and was jumping for joy at the thought his new friend would join him on the training field in the morning.  
  
Alrighty, that's it for this chapter. I hope yins like it, and please. I could really use encouragement, so review! Oh, yes, before I forget. One reviewer said this story has nothing to do with any of my other stories. Well, I'm sorry to that person, but every one of my stories can be connected to the other. Even HellBus and Crazy Band Story. As zany as it sounds, I can easily connect them all. So! Reviews, please! For any of my stories. Thank you for your time, I will work on the new chappie as soon as I have time. 


	7. The Start of a New Life

HI! Here's the training chapter, as promised. Now, please. Can we cut back on the death threats? I've been getting too many.*checks death threats* Oh, wait! Hey, most of these are from my cousin, so never mind. This chapter takes place at the same time, but Touya is first and Jin is second. Same time of day. Now. Enjoy the chapter, everyone! Please review whether you like or not.  
  
Ice Meet Wind Ch. 7 - The Start of a New Life  
  
"Touya. Touya!" Touya was shaken awake. "Time to get up. Training."  
Touya looked out the window of his room. "Sensei, it's not even dawn. Let me sleep." And so he rolled over and tried to go back to the dream he had been having. It had been him fighting someone, someone powerful. He wanted to know who the person was.  
"Get up!" Shirikubo lifted the mattress and the half asleep Touya tumbled onto the floor in a heap of blankets and pillows. "I said we'd continue training and we are. Meet me outside in 20 minutes." Shirikubo left the room and slammed the door shut behind him, leaving a very dazed and tired Touya on the floor.  
"Why does he do this?" Touya muttered, untangling himself from the blankets and standing up. Dawn was just breaking outside his window, but he didn't notice as he got dressed in his clothing. Touya wore a plain blue karate suit, one Shirikubo bought for him when puberty began to come into play. He could roll the sleeves and pants down to the floor and then some, just in case he ever needed to. Touya smiled to himself at the thought. True, he wasn't very big, but he had the feeling this outfit would always be a little big on him. For the time being, though, it served his purposes just fine. After tying the navy belt around his waist, he exited the room.  
Walking down the hall to the kitchen, Touya noticed that Jin and Kyoko were still asleep. "Lucky them." he mumbled as he walked past their doors. Grabbing a quick breakfast of bread and fruit, he headed out the door to start his training for the day.  
"You're a bit late," Shirikubo was sitting cross-legged in the snow. One would think he was meditating, but Touya knew better. His master had been listening to his footsteps while he was still in the house. Shirikubo patted the ground beside him. "Sit down, tune your power into the nature of this snow. Just like every morning."  
Touya nodded and sat crossed-legged beside his teacher. Needless to say, the snow was really cold. One could almost say that everyday at the end of the exercise, Touya didn't have a butt anymore. But the whole point of meditating in the snow was to increase his resistance to the cold. Everyday, Touya became less aware of the frozen feeling of the start of frostbite in his butt. It was a good thing, as strange as it sounds.  
"Now. Close your eyes and imagine the snow around you. Feel the snow, feel every snowflake that makes up the drift. The ice that makes up the snowflake. That is what you want to become; one with your element. Once you are it shall move to your every whim. Now, breathe deeply and hold that sensation for 10 minutes." Shirikubo took a deep breath and held it, easily relaxing into this exercise. Touya, on the other hand, had a little trouble. Just like every morning.  
Touya squirmed around, trying to find a comfortable piece of frozen ground to stay put on. After trying several times, he gave up and tried to 'become the flake' as his master had said. Touya had always found that statement amusing and stifled a giggle or two before returning to his task. No matter how hard he tried, he always had problems becoming one with the element. He always managed to get in tune literally five seconds before the exercise was over After much squirming and bumping into his teacher among other things. Today, though, it came much sooner than normal. Only a minute before the exercise was over and he was in tune with the snow. Not a huge chunk of time to meditate by any standard, but a significant improvement when compared to what he was capable of before.  
The sensation of being one with the ice was an indescribable feeling. Both warm and cold. Sad yet uplifting. He could see more with his eyes closed than he ever could with them open. Free, yet without wings. He wasn't soaring, he was drifting. Drifting as a snowflake does to the ground. He was constantly drifting, never landing. He could feel him being tossed from air current to air current, never stopping movement. It almost made him sick. And then he felt the snow around him. Every flake of snow that made up the drift. Every crystal that made up the flake itself. He loved it when he finally found the correct concentration for the meditation. He didn't want the sensation to end. He never did. He wanted to be one forever. He was one with the snow and ice. At least, he was, until he heard Shirikubo say, "The exercise is now over. Get up and get ready for the real training."  
Sighing, Touya opened his eyes and stood up. Shirikubo was wearing a long white robe and looking much taller than usual. At least, he was in Touya's eyes. But then again, just about everyone was taller to Touya.  
"Now, Touya." He stated, bending over and rolling up a snowball, "Today we'll try something new. You're not quite ready to learn how to make your own ice, but you can use this," He tossed the snowball at Touya, who fumbled a bit before grasping it firmly in his hands. "Today I'll show you how to make and fight with a weapon from manipulated snow."  
"Say what?" Touya was completely confused. "I though you were going to teach me how to create my own ice and stuff like that!"  
"I will, but you must also learn how to defend yourself if you ever find yourself out of spirit energy in a snow barren place. It is very likely to happen." Shirikubo bent over and made another snow-ball for himself. "Now, listen and watch closely. Concentrate on an image of a weapon in your mind. Concentrate on transferring or copying that image in the snow your holding. I am imagining a spear, so I concentrate and transfer it and." Touya watched in amazement as the snowball in his master's hands molded itself into a long spear; a very solid looking spear at that. "Here is your temporary weapon. It uses almost no energy but can only last as long as it is in your hands. Once it leaves your grip, it shall disappear into a pile of snow, as it was before."  
"Wow." Touya's eyes were still wide with awe, but awe didn't stop this student from asking questions. Nothing did. "Where'd you learn how to do that?!"  
"You learn a lot from travels, and I learned this after watching several Youko do it with plants to ward off offenders. Their energy barely dipped above the maximum level, so I thought; why not try this with ice or snow? After years of work, I got it down. Now I pass on this little tidbit of knowledge to you so you can use it one day in a fight. I hope that day never happens, but still, better safe than sorry, right? Now, Touya. I want you to try."  
"What should I try to make?"  
"A sword."  
"Ok, a sword. Uh, what kind of sword?" Touya's head was full of various types of swords, and it was hard to pick just one to focus on. Swords from plain and simple to extravagant and some which he didn't even know if they existed. It was hard to pick which one would be the best to fight with. Luckily for him, Shirikubo chose for him.  
"Try.this one!" Shirikubo remolded the spear into a medium length sword with a handle made out of several spikes. He held it up for Touya to see. "Elegant-looking, yet practical. A perfect sword for a beginner."  
"Ok, so I concentrate on it and try and mould it out of the snow." Touya spoke aloud as he performed the steps. The snow in his hands began to change into the sword, and he almost had it, until his concentration wavered slightly. A sharp pang got Touya through the hand and, in surprise, he dropped the sword. In Touya's break in concentration made the sword suddenly lash out in a form similar to an icicle and pierced Touya's hand. He clutched his hand in pain and tried to stop the few drops of blood that leaked through. "Ow! That really hurt." Shirikubo walked over to Touya and quickly closed the wound with his energy. "Thanks. Uh, my sword just turned back into snow." Touya muttered, glancing down at the would-be sword that was laying in front of him.  
"I see that." Shirikubo studied the snow-sword that laid on the ground in front of them. "Well, you almost had it until your concentration broke for whatever reason. The would-be sword looks more like a knife. Uh." Shirikubo bent down and poked the 'sword' slightly. In fact, it didn't look anything like a weapon, more like a snow angel. But Shirikubo wasn't about to completely diminish his pupil's confidence. "Sort of."  
"Ok, I screwed that one up!" Touya was a bit frustrated. Shirikubo has a tendency to do that. Waver from the subject entirely as to not hurt Touya's feelings as bad as the truth. But Touya knew the truth. "It was my first try."  
"And it was better than my first, so be proud! Mine looked like absolutely nothing in particular! You're improving greatly." Shirikubo's voice trailed away. Abruptly, Shirikubo's smile faded off his face. It confused Touya, because it must have been a very bad thought to make Shirikubo's mood change so swiftly. The older ninja surprised Touya when he walked past him and ruffled his hair. Shirikubo walked quickly into the forest, and then beckoned to Touya. "Follow me. We need to talk."  
"About what?" Touya followed his master similar of that to a dog and his owner. Though neither of them considered this the case. They were on equal footing for the time being. Until the real training set in.  
"About the future for you. And for Jin. There is much to tell you and to discuss with you."  
"Can't you tell me now? Right here? Without going into the forest?" Touya disliked the forest very much. Too many memories of his past were hidden in every branch.  
"No, because when Kyoko and Jin wake up, they will be coming out here for the first training session. We wouldn't want them to over hear this."  
"What?" Touya stopped and stared at his master with large eyes. "Why not?"  
"Because we have almost worn out our welcome here. Now that Kyoko has a student, we will just be getting in the way of the training. Therefore, before we become completely despised, I think we should continue with our journey and training in the whole of the Makai."  
"You mean leave?!" Touya didn't believe his ears. Leave? Now? "Why should we leave?! I finally found someone around my age who I actually can stand, and we have to leave?!"  
And so they entered the forest for a very long walk and talk. So long, in fact, and so deep into the forest that they didn't hear some of Jin's crashes and cries of pain for his entire training.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"WAKE UP JIN!!!!!"  
Jin had no choice but to wake up. Not only at the shout, but at the wind getting knocked out of him by a very wide awake wind master. Kyoko was jumping up and down on Jin's bed, not realizing Jin was already awake and getting crushed to death.  
"I'm alive!"  
"Good!" Kyoko gave a few more jumps on the bed before flopping down on it. "Today training begins!" Kyoko's large eyes were only a few inches from Jin's own. Kyoko was a very upfront kind of guy and liked to see people's reactions when he tells them things. Hence, why he looks at the eyes first above all things. He expected Jin to show some excitement. And with Jin's reaction, his expectations were not diminished in the least; the red-heads large blue eyes got bigger at the very thought.  
"YOU MEAN IT!?" Jin screamed, shooting straight up in bed and almost knocking Kyoko to the floor. "I start today?! WHOOOOO!" Jin jumped as high as he could out of the bed and almost crashed into the ceiling. Kyoko watched him with sparkling eyes.  
"This one has quite a bit of promise," he whispered to himself as he watched Jin avoid the collision but crash in a heap in the floor. "But there's still work to be done."  
"Please tell me you're going to help me not crash as much?" Jin moaned, rolling to a sitting position on the floor. He put his head in his hands. "Now I have a headache."  
"I can't promise anything about the no-crashing, that's all in you. But I can teach you how to control your abilities and strengthen them. That good?" Kyoko saw Jin nod into his hands. "Your head still hurt?" Another nod. Kyoko sighed, "I'll get you something for your headache. Meet me in the kitchen in, oh, 10 minutes." Kyoko exited through the door and left Jin alone on the floor with his thoughts and pounding headache. Before Jin even had a chance to stand up, Kyoko burst through the door again. "Hey! You're new clothes are in this bag. They were once mine, but they should fit you." Kyoko threw the bag at Jin and exited through the door yet again.  
"Why does he throw things at me?" Jin muttered after the bag hit him on the head. Jin's eyes slowly went from the door to the bag that hit him square on the head. He squeezed his eyes shut and ripped the bag open. Jin wouldn't put it past Kyoko to put some kind of joke bomb in the bag for a good laugh. After a minute of sitting there on the floor with his eyes closed and bag open, Jin carefully opened one eye and then the other. Inside the bag was a light green karate suit with a dark green belt to hold the shirt shut. Jin held the outfit up to his body and discovered that, though the pants were a bit long, he would fit into it perfectly. Quickly taking off his ripped school clothes, Jin pulled the new clothing over his head. He was right, the clothes did fit him just about perfectly. He tied the shirt shut with the belt and walked out the door. "I want food." Jin muttered and made a detour from the door to the kitchen.  
After several minutes of rummaging around the cabinets, Jin settled on some day old bread and a weird jam spread for breakfast. "Not much to pick from.Where do they keep the cereal?" Jin was talking to himself with his mouth full, but Kyoko understood him anyway, because he was listening through the door frame of the kitchen.  
"What the hell is cereal?" Kyoko ran through the door and plopped right in from of Jin, making the red head choke on his food. "Now, now! You can't be so weak as to choke to death on your own food!" The ninja jumped over the table and hit Jin on the back a few times to un-lodge the food from the red head's throat.  
"OW!" Jin was nearly flung into the table by the force of Kyoko's blows. "That hurts! STOP!" he had to scream to get Kyoko's attention.  
"Oh, you're alive!" he hugged Jin for what appeared to be no reason at all. "Now you are fully nourished and ready to begin the training that you have agreed to do! Come on!" Kyoko grabbed Jin by the collar and dragged him through the door and out into the snow-covered grounds. Suddenly, barely 5 feet outside the door, Kyoko dropped Jin. "I completely forgot! Here's the stuff for your headache! Open wide!" Kyoko pinched Jin's nose and pulled his mouth open, shoving what appeared to be a small seed in. "Chew it up!"  
"I can put things in my own mouth, you know."  
"I said, CHEW!" Kyoko grabbed Jin's jaw and made the boy chew by moving his hands apart and together very rapidly. After about a minute of this, Jin swallowed. "You feel better now?"  
"Now my mouth hurts." Jin was rubbing his jaw and wincing. Kyoko had really hurt his mouth, Jin didn't know if he'd be able to chew by himself ever again.  
"You want me to get something for it?"  
"NO!" Jin quickly reached out and grabbed Kyoko's clothes before anymore seeds could be forced into his mouth against his will. "I'll live! Let's begin the training!"  
"I knew you'd see things my way!" Kyoko dashed out into the middle of the snow covered yard and turned to face Jin. "To begin, I want you to run as fast as you can out to me and stop before you crash into me."  
"But it's only 50 yards, max!"  
"I know. Do it." Kyoko's cheery attitude suddenly disappeared. His eyes narrowed as he stared at his pupil. Kyoko can be all fun and games, but when push comes to shove, he's worthy of his Shinobi title. When Jin made no effort to move, Kyoko gave his first command to the boy. "I, your master, am telling you to do it."  
Jin gulped. For the first time since he was introduced to Kyoko, the man was scaring him. Swallowing again, Jin bent down into a track starting position. It was just another race, except he had to win this one. He saw the goal, and then pushed off full force.  
Kyoko was not expecting this amount of speed to come from a novice. It was less than a second after the boy pushed off that he was actually 5 feet from Kyoko. 'This speed!.' However, just as quickly as Jin was in front of Kyoko, he was past him. 'Stopping is an issue.Easily fixed.Huh?' Jin in fact didn't have trouble stopping; he stopped on a dime. The only problem was the Jin couldn't judge distance when running. The red head stopped an additional 50 yards behind Kyoko.  
"Oops." Jin rubbed his head in an embarrassed way and turned to face Kyoko. He didn't expect the expression of shock on Kyoko's face, but it was there just the same. Kyoko was just staring at him and not blinking, his mouth slightly open. "I'm sorry!"  
"That.was impressive." Kyoko forced himself to blink. "That fast for an amateur.I'm almost scared to know how high you can jump!" A forced laugh came out of the ninja's mouth.  
"You want me to jump to, is that it?" Jin cocked his head to the side and looked up at his master. "I will, if you want me to.I still have lots of energy left."  
"Ok, but instead of just jumping, try to hover in the air a bit before coming back down." Kyoko backed far away from Jin. "Just in case of a crash landing, I'll stand over here!" He called out, ducking behind a tree leaving Jin in the field alone. "Go whenever you're ready!"  
"Right!" Jin crouched down low to the ground, concentrating his energy into his feet. When he felt there was enough energy to get a decent height, he pushed off again as hard as he could. Jin soared up into the air, as far as he could go. But when it came time to hover, he ran into a slight problem. He couldn't. "Whoa!" Jin tumbled out of the air, doing summersaults until he crashed into the snow-covered ground, a few yards from where Kyoko was hiding.  
"Well, obviously you can't do that!" Kyoko came out from behind the trees and offered a hand to Jin, which Jin gladly accepted. "But that is what I'm here for, right? To teach you how to do these things! Do you need more headache seeds?"  
"No! No, no!"  
"Well, you were no where near close to getting that technique!" Kyoko gave Jin a broad smile, which Jin could not help but return. "That's the spirit! Don't let it get you down! Now, let's try something else!" Kyoko plopped down onto the ground and put his head in his hands. "I got it! Why don't you try to make a tornado?"  
"Uh, what?" Jin looked confused. An image of the giant tornado from twister swirled in his head along with the cows.  
"A tornado! Like this!" Kyoko put his hands out in front of him and a small tornado appeared in the snow, swirling and picking up the flakes. "You just pretend there is a small ball of air in your hand and you twist it at will into a small funnel of air. It is not difficult, you understand. You try now."  
"Ok, a little ball of air right?" Jin held out his hands in front of him like Kyoko had done. He concentrated and could feel a very small ball of air come into his hands. He tried to twist it, but when he did the air went haywire. The little tornado turned into nothing more than a column of air with a lot of issues, to put it mildly. "THAT WAS TERRIBLE!!!!!" Jin flopped onto the ground and stared at the sky, ashamed at his attempt.  
"You're right, no denying it," Kyoko chuckled slightly. Soon, he was rolling around in the snow laughing his head of. "S-sorry! That was a decent attempt, but it sucked!"  
"Oh, thank you so much for your encouragement." Jin said sarcastically, sitting up and staring at his master rolling around in the snow like a kid. "I take it you are very blunt with your comments."  
"Yep!" Kyoko calmed down slightly and sat up to stare at his student. "That's how I am and that's how you should be too! Don't sugar-coat your answers to someone, it can just hurt them worst. Be straight to the point and get the message across. Little lesson for you."  
Jin shrugged and blinked. "Surprising, you actually have some good advice under that wacky attitude."  
"My best advice is yet to come! You want me to tell you?" Kyoko leaned over to Jin and winked very noticeably. Jin smiled and gave an energetic nod. "Alright! My advice to you is always flush after you just the toilet!"  
Jin stared at Kyoko like he was crazy. He stared so long Kyoko was actually sure he might have missed the joke. At least, he did until Jin fell over laughing.  
"Good advice! Best I ever heard!!" Jin barely got the words out between the laughter and gasps of air. "Now, seriously! What's your real advice?"  
"What are you talking about? That was my real advice!" Jin looked incredulously at Kyoko, and eventually the latter gave in. "Alright. My real advice is know your surroundings before you fight a battle or whatever. Use it all to your advantage."  
Jin had calmed down very much so by now, and thought about the advice. It all seemed well and good, except one question came to his mind. "Uh, how do you learn the terrain from the ground?"  
"What?!" Kyoko took a twig and hit Jin on the head with it several times. He said every word in time with the twig hitting Jin's head. "What.Do.You.Think.You.Are.In.Training.For?! You.Will.Be.Able.To.Fly!!!"  
"Ow! OW!" Jin clutched his head just in time for his hands to be hit by the twig. "Yeow!!!! Stop it!" Kyoko hit Jin a few more times for good measure before stopping completely. "I can't fly, and you know that! I crash and it is painful!!!!"  
"Ahhh, yes!" Kyoko put a hand under his chin in a thoughtful manner. "You can't.But I can! Come on!!"  
Without warning Kyoko grabbed Jin by the arms. "What are you-?" But Jin didn't have time to finish his sentence. Kyoko lifted Jin up into the air and zoomed off into the sky. "What?!" Jin screamed, looking down and seeing the ground getting farther and farther away. After what seemed like an eternal rocket launch, Kyoko stopped dead in the air.  
"Well, here you are. This is the Makai." Kyoko stated, gesturing with his foot because he was holding Jin with his hands. "Directly below us is the Forest of the Makai. Somewhere in there are your ancestors, still locked up in their physical and mental fortress. Over there," Kyoko pointed almost directly ahead of them up in the sky with a foot. "That is the Floating Island of the Ice Maidens. It is a forbidden place for men to go, and is separate from the rest of the Makai. Right below it, as you can see, are the Makai Ice Lands where any Ice Apparition can go. You can barely see the Island and the Ice Lands unless you have far sight."  
"I can see them just fine," Jin said, eyes getting wider as he looked around at the new world surrounding him. "Wow.Hey, what's that?" Jin pointed south of the snow-covered hills and valleys. To a small patch of what appeared to be a beach and ocean or something along those lines.  
"Ah, you must have far sight if you can see that." Kyoko nodded thoughtfully. "That is the only way to get out of the Makai. It's not an ocean, as you might think. In fact, it's a portal to the Ningenkai, or the Human World as you might call it."  
"You mean, I could go home?" Jin asked excitedly. Kyoko noticed that his ears, large as they were, began to twitch slightly at the thought.  
"Not that easy, mate." Kyoko was sorry to dampen the boy's spirits, but he couldn't let Jin go running off without knowing the truth. "In order to get through that portal you have to make it through and be accepted into something like a tournament. That is very rare, and happens every so often. And then, even if you are permitted to go, you have to be screened by the Reikai and have a tracking device put on you. You leave your designated area and poof! No more you."  
"Oh," Jin's voice was quiet and sad, his ears drooped as well. "No chance then, huh?"  
"Yes, no chance." Kyoko suddenly became much brighter than before, in an attempt to lighten the mood. "I'm going to show you the whole of the Makai today! You want to? It's your home now."  
"Sure, but how?"  
"Like this!!!!!" Kyoko made his body parallel to the ground and seemed to push off the air. Soon, they were zooming off into the distance. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Neither group returned home until near sunset on that day. And when they did, one could say that they literally ran into each other. Kyoko dropped Jin from a height of about 10 feet onto Touya.  
"Ow! Jin! You're crushing me!" Touya called out. Jin was sitting on his back and it is not necessary to say that it really hurt the smaller apprentice. "Get off!" Touya somehow managed to sit up, knocking Jin off his back in a heap.  
"Hey! You're stronger than I thought!" Jin said gleefully, rolling in the snow to a sitting position. "You sure don't look that strong."  
"Ow.I'm going to feel that in morning.severely." Touya rubbed his lower back where the red head had been crushing him.  
"Of course you are," Shirikubo stated, stepping over both Touya and Jin in one gigantic step. "Got a lot to do in the morning. Kyoko, I take it you haven't been back for long?"  
"Nope! Just got back!" Kyoko was hanging upside-down in the air right in front of his friend. "Why you ask?"  
"Just wondering if you were back long enough to start dinner. I guess not." Shirikubo sighed, and then entered the house through the kitchen door. "I'll start it, you finish. But I want to talk to you."  
"What about the boys?" Kyoko stuck a thumb over his shoulder at the two youngsters throwing snow at each other in mock-rage.  
"We talk to them over dinner tonight. Come along and help me out. Unless, of course, you want the food to be uneatable." Shirikubo said slyly.  
"What?! Uneatable food?! Not possible! Shiri, I'm cooking!" Kyoko ran through the door into the kitchen, in the process knocking Shirikubo over.  
"I knew he'd see things my way." Shirikubo looked over his shoulders at the children playing in the snow. "I really don't want to separate them." All the while Kyoko was making dinner, Shirikubo leaned against the window, watching the kids fight each other with snow. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
All four of them sat at the table later that night, eating dinner and laughing crazily at Kyoko and Jin's eating contest. Winner gets to sleep in the next day. So far, the youngest one was winning, but not by much.  
"Go, go, go!" Touya was laughing and clapping as Jin shoved an entire steak into his mouth. "You beat him!"  
"Not in this time!" Shirikubo said, bopping Touya on the head with his hand. "Kyoko! Keep eating! Win this one!"  
"Ugh, I don't think I can." Kyoko moaned after swallowing the steak and potatoes he had shoved down his throat. "Can't I just forfeit?"  
"No!" Shirikubo picked up the plate in front of the wind master and shoved it into his face. "Eat up!"  
Jin had stopped eating over on his and Touya's side just to watch them start their own mini food-war. Jin looked over at Touya's surprised look and chuckled. "You look like you've never seen adults act like this."  
"I haven't." Then Touya smiled and shook his head. "Good to see they have personality, though."  
"It's always good to see that!" Jin said, raising his drink-mug above his head in a mock-drunk manner causing Touya to start laughing again. The two older ninjas stopped their food war to see what was causing this laughter.  
"Well, I suppose we best be turning in now!" Kyoko said, stretching and standing up.  
"What about the dishes?" Touya asked, looking confusedly from the plates to Kyoko.  
"Leave them! We'll clean up in the morning!" Kyoko walked down the hall and turned to his bedroom. "You'll wake up earlier than me, Jin! I still say I won that contest!"  
"No you didn't!" Jin put his hands on his hips and tried to look indignant but failed. "I won! You clean up."  
"But I'm the master, you are the student." Kyoko said as he walked over to Jin. Suddenly he picked Jin up and threw him into the bedroom where he belonged. Kyoko locked Jin in his room. Suddenly solemn, he turned to look at Shirikubo and Touya. "I'll miss you two, it was fun even if it was only for a few days. Come back once you've graduated." he whispered, shaking Touya's hand and then hugging Shirikubo. "He'll miss you, too, but that can't be helped. I'll tell him after you've left."  
'Thank you," Touya muttered, feeling very bad that he was leaving his only friend behind without so much as a goodbye.  
"Touya, get your things together. We leave before dawn." Shirikubo whisked into his own respectable room, Kyoko also went into his own room, leaving Touya alone in the hallway. Sighing, he walked into the guest room he had occupied. Looking around, he discovered there was not much to pack, just his travel clothes and other supplies. It took him only a minute to get the things together in a bag. Touya decided it would be best to get some sleep, so he laid down on the bed despite the fact he knew he wouldn't sleep. He just laid there and stared at the ceiling. It seemed dawn came too soon.  
One minute he's lying on the bed, the next him and Shirikubo were closing the door to the cabin behind them and walking off into the woods again. Touya couldn't help but wonder what Jin would think once he woke up, but it couldn't be helped.  
"Touya, stop looking behind you. Let's go." Shirikubo pushed his student's back slightly to get him moving again. However, Touya looked behind him one last time before finally moving on.  
It would be hundreds of years before the two would set eyes on each other again.  
  
Ok, people, here's the deal: I'm grounded off the computer due to grades, so there won't be any updates for a time. Also, I'm in a bit of a depression right now (family life bites right now) so if anyone could review with some bits of encouragement I'd appreciate it very much. Again, there won't be any updates for a while.sorry. 


	8. Sorrowful Reunion

Hi there! Sorry it took so long, but I'm back now with a whole new chapter! Thank you for your patience and reviews! Please keep the inspiration level up, up, up! The last chappie was sad, but this one will be...Well, that's your opinion! I hope everyone likes it and reviews for it because it'll be a while till the next one! Till then, later! READ ON!  
  
Ice Meets Wind 8: Sorrowful Reunion  
  
There was a rustle in the bushes. It startled the small creature in the clearing, causing it to stop moving. It smelled like something that was out of place; the scent gave off a warning. That was all it took. A spray of bullets flew out of the bushes and tore through the little creature. It was dead before it realized it.  
The bushes rustled once more before a relatively short, human-looking demon emerged. He walked calmly over to the creature and examined it closely.  
"A baby yafonda, not bad shape," he muttered, turning it over to examine its back. "Clean slices. Very good, I can use this." The demon picked up the deer-like creature and walked calmly out of the clearing.  
Behind him, the bullets that missed the target melted into the ground. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Sensei, I brought dinner." The short demon walked into a cave and dropped the yafonda on the ground. "You asleep, Sensei?" He wandered farther back into the cave and turned into a nook in the wall.  
"Touya?" a form struggled to sit up on the floor of the cave nook. "Good, you're back."  
"Sensei! Don't move!" Touya ran over to Shirikubo's side. "I'll bring you some food! Just, don't move, OK?"  
"Ah, yes. Now that you are full grown, you are going to take care of me." Shirikubo coughed. It was a retching cough that shook his whole body. The cough scared Touya.  
"Don't move, dinner will be ready shortly." Touya laid Shirikubo back down and re-covered him with the blanket. He then exited the nook to make dinner.  
Firewood was thrown in a haphazard pile on he floor. As much as Touya detested fire, he had to cook the food. Well, actually, yafonda is better when eaten raw. But Touya had to keep is mind off his master. And yet, as the food sizzled in the fire and he chopped up some medicinal plants, the thought kept entering his mind. No matter how much he denied it, it was the truth. Shirikubo was dying.  
Touya absently ran his hands over his face to prevent any moisture from forming. No more gems shall be shed. More than enough had fallen ever since witnessing his family's slaughter. He couldn't stand to lose the only other person that had ever cared about him..  
He shook his head quickly. 'Enough of that!' he thought. 'The food's ready. All he needs to do is eat. Yes, that is all...' Touya poked the fully cooked yafonda with a stick and placed it on a bowl hewn out of rock. Sprinkling the medicinal plants on top of it, Touya decided that it would have to do. Standing up slowly as not to spill, he started back to the nook where his master was withering away.  
"Sensei, here's your food. Best if you eat up." Touya carefully set down the bowl and then backed off respectfully.  
"Now, now, Touya." Shirikubo said wearily, beckoning Touya over. "Come here. It's time for another talk." Touya cautiously moved forward; slowly at first, but with his master's constant gesturing sat beside him. Shirikubo smiled slightly. "Always the respectful and quiet one," he muttered, then began to eat slowly. After about five minutes of uncomfortable silence, Touya spoke.  
"Uh...What did you want to speak to me about?" Touya asked curiously, remembering the last time the two of them had a talk. They walked into the woods and spoke of a bright future. When he, Touya, became a full-fledged Ice Master, he would join the Shinobi. However, in order for this to occur, he had to leave his best friend behind without so much as a good-bye. Just thinking about that day was more than enough to make a lump rise in his throat.  
"Ah, yes. Forgive an old man's memory." Then Shirikubo chuckled, "Or rather, an old demon's memory. I wanted to tell you something like a final request."  
Touya remained motionless yet felt the beginnings of tears sting his eyes. "And what is that , Sensei? You still have plenty of time left..." He allowed his voice to trail off.  
Shirikubo chuckled again slightly. "I know my time is short. Don't deny it. Touya, I wish to see Kyoko one last time. Shirikubo looked past Touya and into the depths of the cave, or as much as he could see, very deep in thought. "I sense his time grows short as well."  
That information surprised Touya. He always remembered Kyoko as a hyper active,, always cheery Wind Master. Imagining him in the same state as Shirikubo...Touya just didn't want to. He didn't want to admit that the few people he knew and grew close to were dying. Recovering as quickly as possible, Touya replied, "As you wish. When do you want to go?"  
"In the morning. I need my rest."  
Then Touya bowed respectfully, gathered the bowl and utensils and left the nook. Once out of the aged hearing of the master, he collapsed against the wall.  
"I have to face him again..." He muttered. Touya closed his eyes and leaned his head against the wall. He did not want morning to come. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The following morning and several mornings after that the former pupil and master made their way to the cabin in the middle of the forest. Progress was slow, mainly because Shirikubo had to stop frequently to rest. They journeyed on a path long forgotten by other demons, yet remembered vividly by the two of them.  
"Sensei, we're almost there," Touya said, guiding Shirikubo around several broken branches and fallen trees. He was so intent with his work that he failed to hear the soft whooshing noise from above him. Touya also did not notice the large, bright blue eyes starring at him from a tree branch high above. Touya continued to guide his master along the forgotten path, focusing only on getting Shirikubo to the cabin to lay down.  
After several moments of guiding, Touya and Shirikubo finally reached the cabin grounds. It was just as Touya remembered it; sitting on top of a small hill. However, when Touya had last been at the cabin it had been winter and the hill was covered in snow. It was spring now, and the hill was covered in grass and small flowers. Touya would have stopped and admired the beauty if he had time for it. He continued to lead Shirikubo up the hill and into the house.  
When Touya opened the front door it squeaked slightly from lack of use. He looked around the entryway, yet saw no other signs of life. "Sensei, are you sure he's here?" Touya asked, confused about the lack of life in the house.  
"Yes, but he is sleeping. Take me to the nearest bedroom. I need to sleep for a while."  
Touya did as he was commanded and took Shirikubo to the first bedroom on the right. Once he opened the door to the room, a wave of memories swept over Touya. This was the room he had stayed in centuries before; the time he had left his best friend, only friend, behind. Yet Touya remembered it all vividly, almost too much so. Shirikubo had came to him before the sun had even risen to wake him up. Shirikubo made Touya throw all of his belongings into a bag and then sneak out the front door onto the snowy slope. The door had never squeaked that early morning. That had been the last time he, Touya, had ever seen this cabin. Or near his best friend, the apprentice to Kyoko.  
Touya shook his head. 'No time for this!' he mentally slapped himself. Carefully, he helped Shirikubo into the bed and pulled the covers up over him. After checking to make sure he was all right, Touya walked out of the room and shut the door a quietly as he could. Turning, he headed out he door again; almost running as to not be overwhelmed by the memories of a time long past. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Touya walked around the outside of the building, surveying the area. Nothing seemed to have changes. Almost everything was exactly as it had been before he left. Almost, minus a certain half-demon. Sighing Touya flopped back onto the grass and looked up at the sky. He almost drifted into a doze when a solid punch sent him rolling down the hill.  
Before Touya came to a stop he rolled into an upright position and sculpted a sword out of the ice on his arm. Looking around angrily, Touya tried to spot his attacker. After several tense seconds, he brought himself to call out, "Who's there?!" When no one responded, Touya tried it again. "Who's there? Show yourself!"  
"I'll sure as hell tell you who's there!" came a voice thick with and Irish accent. It seemed to be coming from above, so Touya looked up.  
Hovering in the air a good twenty feet or more above Touya's head was young demon sitting in the air, not hair moving on his head. The demon looked almost human, a young human at that, if he hadn't had extremely large and pointed ears poking out from under his shaggy, brilliant red hair. His eyes were bright blue, and exceptionally bright blue, and he wore just a pair of baggy pants; no shoes and no shirt. "What the hell are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in the world of the frozen hearted?" the red head shouted, folding his arms cross his chest.  
"That voice," Touya whispered, backing up slightly to get a better look at the demon. "Jin, that you?" The ice sword that had been on Touya's arm melted right off.  
"Bloody hell!" Jin said, slapping a hand to his heart as he swooned over-dramatically. "He remembered my name! And now what brings the deserter back to the deserted?" Jin floated slowly down to just inches above the ground. His large blue eyes stared back into Touya's pupil-less, icy blue ones. Jin tapped his foot impatiently into thin air. "Well? Do I have to punch you again to make you speak?"  
"Uh..." Touya was at a loss for words. It was true, he had abandoned Jin; he should've expected this kind of reaction. After all the hell he had probably put Jin through, the red head deserved the truth of at least the situation at hand. Swallowing, Touya prepared to tell the truth about Shirikubo's problem; at the same time, he was going to admit it to himself. "Shirikubo had a last request and I honored it," Touya said, trying to keep his face emotionless. Only his eyes betrayed his true feelings. Jin noticed immediately.  
"So, he's dying then," Jin whispered, landing with a soft hump on the rolling green lawn with both feet. All the anger seemed to disappear from his eyes in that moment. "Kyoko too. Only reason I left him was because the wind spoke of intruders. I had to investigate."  
"Oh, so you're a full-fledged wind master now." Touya forced a small smile onto his face. "After all that time, of course you would be."  
"Kyoko insisted I stay for the full power transfer and everything, no matter what," Jin said evenly. "Even though I tried to run away and find you on several occasions." The bite returned to Jin's voice at the phrase.  
Touya sighed, trying to ignore the angry stare once again directed at him. "I had no choice. You were just starting your training, and both Shirikubo and I thought it best if we left the two of you alone. WE were going to come back...just never got around to it." As he looked up at Jin, an exhaustion began to sweep over Touya. "So much to do, and with no time to waste. It took me fifty years just to master how to make my own ice. I've only been an official ice master for less than five years." Touya's voice was quiet. As he spoke he sank to the ground, eventually laying down and closing his eyes.  
"I take it you're tired," Jin said slowly, poking Touya with a long grass blade.  
"Yeah," Touya still had is eyes closed, but he knew what Jin must be doing. Poking him with a long blade of grass while munching on another blade at the same time. "Been taking care of Shirikubo constantly."  
"Ditto." Jin muttered. Touya could feel Jin flop onto the ground next to himself on the sloping lawn. "Kyoko sleeps constantly and when he does wake up he's too weak to do anything."  
"First thing Shirikubo asked for was a place to sleep. I put him in my old room. Hope you don't mind."  
"You put him there because it was closest to the door," Jin said into the grass. Touya guessed Jin was lying face down. "Kyoko's across the hall for the same reasons." Touya heard a slight shuffling noise and opened his eyes. Jin was sitting up among the grass, eyes closed in concentration.  
"What's wrong?" Touya asked, struggling to sit up. Exhaustion was almost fully taken over his body now, he could barely move.  
"Kyoko's awake. I better get him some food." Jin stood up and walked a few steps to the house, then turned. "You look like you haven't eaten in days. Come on, I'll get you something too." Jin offered a hand to Touya, who gladly accepted it. Bracing himself as to not fall, Touya let Jin lead him into the house. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Jin opened the kitchen door quietly and led Touya to a chair at the table. He let Touya collapse gratefully onto the chair before going to the cupboards to get the food.  
Ever since Kyoko's strength had begun to fade, Jin was the one who flew to town for the groceries. As a result, the cupboards were stocked more than ever before. Reaching up into one of the several cabinets, Jin pulled down all the necessary ingredients to a make the demon version of a very human dish. Long ago, shortly after he had began to train under Kyoko, Jin had thrown together some leftover meat with vegetables and baked it. A, different, version of a meat pie from Ireland. Kyoko loved it, and had asked for it ever since. Jin had developed many variations over he years, and the one he gave to Kyoko now had some pain-relieving plants in it; certainly not meant to be eaten by a healthy person.  
"Touya, what're your favorite foods?" Jin asked the ice master nonchalantly.  
"Huh?" Touya looked up at Jin with a slightly dazed look. "Oh...Bikan berries, Topufoo and yafonda meat," he replied wearily. Jin looked sorrowfully at Touya as the shorter demon fell back into his slight doze.  
"I'll make you that food after I feed Kyoko. You just sleep now, OK?" Jin got to work preparing Kyoko's medicinal pie along with Touya's After so much practice over the years, it took him only a few minutes to prepare all that was needed.  
Jin first made the crusts and baked them for a few moments. As they were baking, he put two pots on the stove and boiled water in them with which the filling would be made. It didn't' take very long to get the stews ready; same with the crusts. No a very hard meal, but most, if not all, demons had never heard of it.  
"Here," Jin said, putting Touya's food in front of him. Touya looked up with the dazed look on his face again and slowly poked the pie with a spoon Jin had handed to him. "You eat it. All your favorite foods are in it. That's why I asked you what your favorite foods were."  
"But what about Kyoko's food?" Touya asked, still no touching the pie. "I thought you had to feed him."  
"Yeah, but hey! He can't eat anything hot anymore. Got to wait for it to cool down." The Jin grinned, "But hopefully since you're an ice master eating hot food won't melt you!" Jin was still grinning even after Touya rolled his eyes.  
"Bad joke," Touya muttered. Finally, after staring at his pie for several moments under Jin's stare, Touya decided to try the strange concoction. He took his spoon and slowly lifted some crust and filling into his mouth. Touya chewed for a bit before swallowing. "That's surprisingly good, considering you made it."  
Jin hovered over to Touya and slapped him across the back of the head. "Thank you so much for the compliment," Jin said airily and sarcastically. He folded his legs up close to his body and flipped over in front of Touya. "Hi-yo!" He twiddled his fingers right in front of Touya's nose.  
"Is this a hobby of yours?" Touya somehow managed to ask while chewing and swallowing. He hadn't stopped eating since the first bite, and not even Jin hovering in front of his nose could stop him now.  
"Yep!" Jin flipped right-side up and glided back to his seat. "Don't like to walk if I can help it! I should take you for a fly sometime..." His voice trailed off as Touya became incredibly pale. "Huh? What's up?"  
"I just don't..." Touya looked away and then quickly changed the subject. "The other pie should be cool by now. Best take I to Kyoko. I'll check in on Shirikubo." And then Touya pushed his chair away from the table and hurried o Shirikubo's room leaving a very confused Jin behind.  
"O-OK..." Jin said cautiously before picking u the other meat pie and hovering over to Kyoko's room.  
Jin quietly opened the door to the room with a small burst of wind; it had never been fully shut. Looking around, he saw that Kyoko was already awake and sitting up in the bed watching him. Kyoko's liquid eyes still held the same light as before, but the light was slowly getting duller. Even his hair had lost its shine. NO longer young, Kyoko was in every aspect and old demon near his death bed. Living for over one thousand years is old to any demon, most don't make it past two hundred.  
"Hi, I brought food." Jin hovered over to the side table by the bed and set the food down. Once he was certain it wouldn't fall, he plopped onto the bed next to his old master. "So, how do you feel today?"  
"Better, better. I know Shiri and Touya arrived. How are they?" Kyoko's voice was like gravel, but still retained the British accent Jin had come to know so well.  
"I haven't seen Shiri yet, but I have seen Touya."  
"How is he? I recall him being such a small demon last time I saw him, not that powerful as well."  
"His height hasn't changed much. But I can sense that he is stronger than before," Jin muttered, putting his elbows on his knees. "His attitude changed to. Can't describe it now."  
"It's because he is now an ice master." Kyoko said wisely. "Pass me the pie, I'm hungry."  
Jin did as he was told and waited several minuets in silence as Kyoko ate his food. When the quiet became too much, Jin spoke up, "What do you mean? About his attitude, that is."  
Kyoko stopped in mid-chew and then thoughtfully swallowed. "Well, he's like the ice now. Can be sparkly and upbeat but at the same time cold and unmoving. The same happened to you. "Kyoko laughed at Jin's indignant look. "Yes, it has happened to you. Jin, you are now as carefree as the wind, but when pushed too far you become just as dangerous. A breeze in the summer is refreshing, but an all-out tornado can kill. It's very simple." Kyoko finished his explanation and went back to eating.  
Jin pondered over those words and finally decided that he was confused and to make his head stop hurting no more thought would be put into those words. HE shook his head slightly, sighed and flopped back onto the pillows by Kyoko. "Before you say anything," Jin cut Kyoko off as soon as Kyoko had opened his mouth. "Let me guess: I'll get it someday, right?"  
"Very good." Kyoko placed the now-empty pie plate and utensils in front of him on the bed. "Mow, how about listening to an old man banter about last requests?"  
Jin's ears perked up slightly at those words, but other than that he stayed the same as before, lying on the bed next to Kyoko. "Come on; I'm listening."  
"I can tell." Kyoko flicked Jin on the ear before continuing. "You said Shiri is here, correct? My request is that you put me and him in the same room. I believe we'd both like to see each other in our final moments."  
"A-all right. I'll talk to Shiri and Touya. You stay here and rest." Jin walked out of the room and out the door as if nothing was wrong. But there was one thing that gave him away. He walked out of the room. He never walked if he could help it; unless he was very down, of course. Shutting the door behind him with a click, Jin sunk to the floor of the hall and stayed there, not moving a muscle.  
"Jin, you OK?" Jin lifted his head off his knees and looked up at Touya. Touya had a look of extreme concern on his face which Jin simply couldn't ignore.  
"Yeah...yeah. I'm all right." Jin tried to give one of his customary grins but failed. "How's Shiri doing?  
"I believe he's fine, but he wants to talk to Kyoko. I told his he could after some more rest." Touya crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, closing his eyes.  
"What a coincidence," Jin said in dry sarcasm. Touya opened his eyes and looked down at his friend. "Kyoko asked for the same thing."  
"Shirikubo can barely walk now, Jin! How can they see each other if they can't even move?" All this was starting to become too much for Touya. He threw his arms up in the air in an exasperated way. Slowly, Touya sunk down to the floor, eventually coming to a sitting position by Jin. "I don't like the fact they're dying," he muttered, leaning his head against the wall once more.  
"I can move Shiri with my wind. Kyoko's bones have become fragile, you can break them just by poking them. I say I can move Shiri across the hall as long as he's up for it." Jin said it all with confidence to make sure Touya would trust him. It worked...sort of.  
'If you drop him, I'll kill you. And you will not complain," Touya said, getting up and walking back into Shirikubo's room. "I'll tell him now. Best we get them together soon."  
Jin nodded and went back into Kyoko's room. In the corner was the extra bed frame for the house, just in case anything broke or there were too many guests over. Summoning up a bit of wind, Jin constructed the frame, with Kyoko's instructions, of course. It took only a few minutes for it to be completely set up, and then it was ready to be used.  
Nodding in approval, and receiving a thankful smile form Kyoko, Jin went back into the hallway to wait for Touya's affirmative. He tapped his foot impatiently while he waited. Jin was not patient by nature and after only a grand total of five seconds went into Shirikubo's room to get him. In his impatience, Jin failed to knock. The sight shocked him beyond words.  
Shirikubo was lying on the bed while Touya was picking up some things that seemed to have fallen out of a bag. The Shirikubo Jin had always remembered had long, very shiny and vibrant hair and a wonderfully pale skin tone that matched his personality perfectly. The Shirikubo lying on the bed in front of him had n almost green complexion and hair had lost all shine; it even seemed to be falling out a little. Jin just stood there in the doorway with his mouth open slightly. Touya either didn't notice him or ignored him, but Shirikubo was the firs to see Jin. He struggled up in bed and gave the red head a small smile.  
"Why, hello Jin! It's been a while, hasn't it?" Shirikubo's voice was tired but still had an almost icy quality to it. "You seem to have grown up well."  
"Y-yes sir." Jin stuttered then bowed his head respectively. Touya took that opportunity to explain what was going on to Shirikubo. The old ninja listened carefully to the plan and then nodded.  
"Sounds good. Oh, and Jin?" Jin looked up and met Shirikubo' dull gaze. "If you do drop me you will have two very pissed demons, not just one."  
Jin gulped at the prospect of having two ice masters after his hide. It wasn't very encouraging. Slowly, he nodded his head and spoke. "I won't drop anyone. What makes you think that?"  
Touya gave a short laugh and then walked past Jin into the hallway. "I'm dropping some things off in Kyoko's room. You don't move."  
Jin made a face at Touya's retreating back, but a wise voice stopped him from going all out. "Glad to see you haven't changed greatly over the years, Jin."  
"Well, I try," Jin said coyly as he turned to face Shirikubo. He let his face break into a grin. "Good to have you two back. Been to quiet lately. By lately I mean two centuries."  
"I see that the demon in you has let you stop aging," Shirikubo stated, looking Jin over from the bed. "I was curious o see a to how that was going to work out. Whether you'd age and die at the time a human would or live as long as Kyoko and me."  
"But nothing lasts forever, huh?"  
Shirikubo shook his head. "No. Nothing ever does."  
Touya re-entered the room at that every moment. "OK, everything's set up. Jin, get ready to move him."  
"You got it and I won't drop him," Jin said, summoning up a small portion of wind. He carefully commanded the wind to lift up Shirikubo, float him across the hallway, and set him down in the new bed next to Kyoko. Touya had followed Jin the entire time, keeping a close eye on Shirikubo's level off the ground. When Touya was satisfied with the move, he pulled some blankets up over his master and left Kyoko and Shirikubo alone for a long talk.  
"There, see?" Jin said cheerfully, hovering slightly above the ground in the hallway. Touya rolled his eyes at Jin and sat down on the floor. "I told you I wouldn't drop him and I didn't!"  
"Yeah," Touya's voice was low and quiet. "You came through.  
"Yep! And now it's just the two of us."  
"Yeah," Touya turned his head and looked out the window. "Soon it'll just be the two of us."  
  
Review so you find out what happens. 


	9. Soul Shattering

Sorry it took me a (checks calendar) year to update this. I am truly sorry. Truth is, I really DID NOT want to write this chappie. In a perfect world...Ah, well. Nothing I can do now, huh? Here you go and please review. I live for reviews.

Ice Meets Wind Ch. 9: Soul Shattering

Despite their students telling them that rest was an absolute necessity, Shirikubo and Kyoko continued to be their old, rather strange, selves. of course, they were still bed ridden, yet being in each other's company had seemed to heal their hearts to almost perfect health. Jin and Touya had a fear that the two of them would drop dead at any random time from laughter.

Even with the constant worry of their masters dropping dead of anything but what they were suffering from, Touya and Jin continued to grow deep bonds of friendship. This bond was even stronger than the one they had forged years ago. This bond filtered out into the ways they reacted when in one another's company. They had reached a mutual agreement some months before that when their hysterically laughing masters could be left alone for a while, the two of them would go outside. Normally they would spar with their abilities to improve them, but every so often they would play a very...unusual game under the trees.

The duo had developed this game when the sparring matches had gotten boring. Called 'Kill the Leaf', and just as the title suggests, the two of them would aim their attacks at a leaf. Or, in actuality, impale the leaf as many times as possible in five seconds. Whoever did the best in the whole of their free time got to choose what was for dinner that night. That was a big deal, because Jin and Touya had VERY different tastes in food, and therefore they fought over it constantly.

It was on one of these days that Jin decided to take a stand on some questions he'd been meaning to ask. Slowly, when it was Touya's turn to attack the leaf, he hovered directly behind Touya's head. Holding onto a large quantity of leaves with his wind-powers, he called out, "Hey! Touya!"

"Huh?" Touya turned around to look at Jin and got a face full of leaves shoved in his face. Sputtering in anger and brushing the leaves off him in a frenzy, Touya shouted, "Jin! Don't make me kill you! And, since you distracted me," he added slyly, "I get to choose dinner for tonight!"

"Hey! No fair!" Jin flipped right side-up and hovered for a moment, his anger quickly evaporating. "I actually had a reason to get your attention, you know."

"Oh, really? That's a first." Touya leaned casually against a tree for a second before asking, "So, what was the reason?"

Jin fell out of his hover and sat on the grass, a sure sign something was amiss. Laying down with his hands behind his head, he said slowly, "Well, I've been thinking. Once they, uh, you know," Jin couldn't bring himself to say those words about his master. Swallowing, he continued, "Er...we can't exactly stay here, can we? I was wondering what you saw out at the Makai during your travels."

Touya sighed and threw a few ice bullets up into the tree. as a couple leaves fell, he sighed again. "Truth is, I haven't seen that much. what I have seen consisted of ice lands and forests." Jin's ears drooped slightly. Walking up and sitting beside him, Touya paused before continuing, "I know we might have to live out there at some point."

"Rather not think about it now, eh?" Jin asked in a forced coy manner and an even more visibly forced smirk.

"That's right. After what will happen happens, we'll travel for an area we can both live in. I like the freezing cold, you love the wind. There has to be a happy medium somewhere around here."

Jin nodded and closed his eyes. Sure, the line about things that will happen happening was an awkward sentence, but he understood it just fine. Neither of them could talk about their masters' inevitable demise out loud. They would skirt around the issue with complex wording, and then the conversation afterwards would have a constantly lingering hint of sadness to it. Thinking of a smart-ass comment and coming up with none, Jin simply stated what was on his mind, "Why can't they make a damn map of this place?!"

Involuntarily, Touya began to laugh. He laughed so hard only lack of air forced to bring it to a stop. Breathing shakily, he said, "I wish so, too. I really, really wish someone sensible would make a map!"

"We'll do it someday!" Jin leapt off the ground and hovered in the air above Touya's head. He pumped his fist into the air and shouted, "Go boldly where no one with common sense has gone before!"

"Do something no one has ever thought of doing before, you mean!" Jin's personality was contagious and Touya was soon jumping up and down shouting with his friend.

"That's what I said!"

"No you didn't!"

Jin playfully tackled Touya in order to emphasize his point. They wrestled around for a bit before giving up and flopping back on the grass. After laying there in silence for a time, Touya began to get up.

"Best we eat now. Who knows if we'll be able to eat later, what with our work and all." He extended a hand to Jin who accepted the gesture and was pulled up. As Jin brushed grass off his pants, he began to grin. "What's so funny?" Touya asked.

"You should've seen the look on your face when those leaves attacked! Priceless!"

Letting out a guffaw of laughter, he ran into the cabin before Touya could catch him. Sprinting through the kitchen door, he slammed the door and bolted it. Jin saw Touya run up and try to open the door, but after several failed attempts he ran out of Jin's view.

"Hey, where'd he go?" Jin muttered to himself, opening the door and peering out. Touya was nowhere to be found in the back yard. Scratching his head in puzzlement, Jin moved out onto the step and stood there, still looking. A sudden slam behind him caused him to whisk around and stare at the door he had just exited. Touya was standing in the window, grinning like a lunatic and waving madly.

"Touya! Let me in!" Jin screamed as he pounded on the door. Touya shook his head and retreated farther back in the house. Jin's shouts soon began to shake the forest.

* * *

"Honestly, Jin. That had to be the stupidest thing you have ever done!"

Touya was bandaging Jin's head from various cuts the elf had received in his attempt to re-enter the cabin.

"Well, I wouldn't have tried to go down the chimney if you had just unlocked the front and back doors!"

"I'm surprised you actually didn't get stuck too badly. Right at the end was where your pants got caught on that rusty nail." Touya was still reeling from the shock that Jin had actually tried to go down the chimney in the first place.

Touya had locked Jin out in revenge after getting into the house by way of the front door Jin had forgotten to lock. When the wind master disappeared from Touya's view, he had begun to panic. With no Jin in the backyard, Touya had run through the cabin to check the front door. On the way there he saw a pair of feet dangling from the chimney. Upon giving them a hard tug, Jin had popped out of the fireplace. Hence, why Jin was covered in soot and had scrapes.

"Here," Touya said after packing away the medical supplies. "A towel. Wet it in the basin and wash the soot off you. I'll be making dinner tonight."

Jin took the towel and shoved it roughly in the basin on one of the counter tops, splashing water everywhere. Grumbling, he scrubbed the soot off his body.

Touya rolled his eyes and began to make the meat pie like Jin had taught him. Because of Jin succeeding in actually making him laugh, Touya had settled on a dinner they could both agree on: mixed meat pie.

"Touya, where'd all the water go?" Jin called form the other counter.

Touya pushed the pie out of the way and slammed his head on the counter.

* * *

Touya was trying to sleep. No matter how hard he tried, for some reason sleep was eluding him tonight. Then again, it's not like he really wanted to rest. Anxiety over his master's steadily-worsening health forced him awake.

Sighing and giving up on sleep entirely, Touya got up off the bed. He rummaged around in the dark for his yukata, and upon finding it he put it on. Silently opening the door, he proceeded to the kitchen for something to eat.

He paused outside his master's door and listened closely. Those men were still talking. What could be so important to discuss at such a late hour? Shaking his head, Touya went into the kitchen. When he entered, he was shocked to see that he was not alone.

Jin was sitting on the table munching on a piece of bread. He turned his head when Touya entered the room, gave a small grin and said, "Couldn't sleep too, eh?"

Touya decided not to answer and sat down, thoroughly wrapped up in his thoughts. If the masters were to die, what would he do? Would he stay in misery or leave with Jin? He hadn't been joking about exploring the Makai with Jin and making a map. In fact, he hadn't wanted to do anything more in his life.

Jin, seeming to sense Touya's sorrow, patted him on the back. For once, Jin did not shout when he spoke. "It's going to be fine. Everything will work itself out in the end."

Touya couldn't respond. He felt as though his insides had just turned to ice. -The last time I felt like this- he thought, -Was when I saw my family die...-

His head, which had been bent, snapped up, eyes widening. "We have to check on them!"

"What do you mean?" Jin had fallen over in shock at Touya's sudden reaction. "Who is them?"

But Touya paid no attention to the questions as he sprinted to Shirikubo and Kyoko's room. He paused outside the door, but could not hear the whispers from before. Wrenching the door open, he walked into the room and stared at the figures on the bed.

Shirikubo was lying on the bed, eyed barely open. His uneven breaths kept fogging out of his mouth in a fine mist. Kyoko was in just as bad of shape. He had broken out in a cold sweat and his cheeks were tinged a greenish-pink.

Half walking, half stumbling, Touya somehow managed to get over to Shirikubo. As he knelt down, he heard Jin give a gasp from the doorway and rush to Kyoko. Touya reached out his hand and grasped Shirikubo's cold one.

"Touya..." Shirikubo whispered, voice barely audible.

"Sensei, I'm guessing it's time, correct?"

"Yes, Kyoko is read too. Complained about Jin right up to when the fever took him," Shirikubo allowed a small smile to flit across his face.

"Thank you for taking care of me for all these years," Touya whispered. He swallowed back a sob. -I won't cry. I won't...-

"It's been fun, Touya. This is my last request to you. Find this apparition," Shirikubo handed Touya a piece of paper. Touya opened it and saw a very detailed drawing of the apparition. He didn't look at it for long before stuffing it into the folds of his yukata. "And thank him for all he did to help me out. He's the one who taught me how to manipulate ice into a weapon. Also..."

"I thought you said one request?" Touya said in a mock tease.

"I'm sorry. I can't count." Touya couldn't restrain a small laugh from escaping. "Go to the town in the next valley over, called Hiems. There is someone waiting for you there. Give him this letter and he'll take care of you and Jin." Touya saw a sealed envelope on the bedside table. He didn't touch it. "Kyoko and I agreed...on...this..."

Shirikubo began to violently cough. Touya felt his master clench his hand as though in an effort to stay. When the fit ceased, Shirikubo looked worse than ever.

"Promise...me..." he whispered. His grip on Touya's hand loosened as he let out his last breath.

"I promise," Touya whispered. He heard Jin whisper the same thing to Kyoko who must've made the same request. "I promise..."

Touya's vision blurred. Laying his head on the bed, he folded his arms over his head and let go of all emotional control. Tear gems began to roll off the bed and landed with a small thunk on the hardwood floor.


End file.
